Cypriot history dates back to ancient times, with evidence of human habitation as early as the Neolithic period. The island has been influenced by various civilizations, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. It became an important trade center in the Mediterranean due to its strategic location. In the medieval period, Byzantine rule was followed by Crusader control and later Ottoman domination in the 16th century. In 1878, Britain took administrative control, and Cyprus was formally annexed in 1925. The island gained independence in 1960, but tensions between the Greek and Turkish communities led to a division in 1974, which remains unresolved.