The structure of Turkish Cypriot society changed dramatically during the twentieth century, especially after World War II. The main force for change was the growth of a modern and prosperous economy that required a variety of occupations, encouraged urbanization, made education more accessible, and permitted more contact with the outside world. The de facto partition of the island in 1974 also strongly changed how Turkish Cypriots lived. The evolution of a Western-style family out of the traditional family structure was perhaps the most socially significant of these changes. Data as of January 1991
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