Mia Milia (or Haspolat)

Mia Milia (Greek: Μια Μηλιά or Μία Μηλιά, literally 'One Apple tree') is an industrialized village and an eastern suburb of Lefkoşa (Nicosia). It has been under de facto control of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

History

Mia Milia has a long history dating back to the 13th century, as mentioned in papal documents. During the period of British colonial rule, the village was inhabited exclusively by Greek Cypriots. The population growth of the village steadily increased from 302 inhabitants in 1891 to 1,072 in 1960.

Population

According to the 2011 census, Mia Milia had a population of 4,204 inhabitants, which included Turkish Cypriots and Turkish citizens. In contrast, the total population of the area was reported as 4,275 people in another source.

Origins of name

The village's name is derived from Greek, with "Mia" meaning "one" or "a mile", but it is also possible that the village was originally called Enia Milies, which means "no apples". In 1975, the Turkish Cypriots renamed the village Haspolat in honor of a Turkish soldier, Mehmet Haspolat, who died near this point on August 16, 1974 during the Turkish military offensive.

Administrative status

Mia Milia is under de facto control of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and functions as an independent administrative unit. It has its own local government and services, separate from those of the Republic of Cyprus.

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