Nicosia lies on the Pedieos River and it bordered by mountains to the north and south.  Nicosia was a kingdom in the 7th Century BC and has been the capital of the island since the 10th century AD.  Nicosia has come successively under control by the Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans.  The British Empire held Nicosia from 1878 to 1960.  During the 20th Century Nicosia has grown beyond the existing circular Venetian walls.  The population in the surrounding area of Nicosia is engaged mainly in agriculture. A UN Buffer Zone has separated the city's Greek and Turkish sectors since 1974.