Border Crossings
At one point in time, the two halves of Cyprus refused to speak to one another and actually split the island with a border that has become known as the Green Line. In some places there is still evidence of the physical boundaries that had been put into place. Nicosia still has a border crossing splitting one of the main streets though the city. Crossing the border had been illegal, but with things finally settling down between the two countries, it’s becoming an everyday occurrence.
Residents who have their own cars must carry insurance in both countries in order to be able to take it beyond the border. Rental cars that tourists may drive cannot be taken from the north into the south, but it can be driven from the south into the north. Tourists can purchase insurance at some of the border crossings and as long as they have all of the necessary paperwork needed to cross the borders, they will not have any problems.
The same goes for pedestrians and tour bus travelers. Members of EU countries and the United States can freely cross back and forth between the two. There are some restrictions but these have more to do with the amount of cigarettes, liqueur, and goods that cross back and forth between North Cyprus and Cyprus. For example, visitors can only bring fifty Cypriot Pounds worth of good across the border in either direction.
The opening of the borders has not only provided each side of the island with a more stable economy, it has also helped provide more employment chances for people living the closest to the border crossings. It is hoped among the populace of both sides that this is a step in the right direction and that past grievances will eventually fade and the country truly become one once again.