In order to study this tapie, the authors examine the historie record of the Greek and Turkish population in Cyprus. The first one had been settled there from the year 1.500 BC, while the Turkish inhabitants arrived 3.000 years later, in 1571. According to the 1973 census, the 78,91% of the total population was Greek, being the Turkish only the 18,36%. As a consequence of the 1974 Turkish invasion, 200.000 Greek people were expelled from their lands and bornes, Besides, the Turkish set out to the task of re-populating the region with settlers from Anatholia. From the 20.000 Greek people who managed to stay in their bornes in 1974, only 487 were still there in 1997. Parallel to this process of forced change in the island's demography, one of the deepest and most visible result of the Turkish invasion has been the cultural transformation of the occupied territory into a Turkish province. The authors explain in detail the profanation and sacking of the cultural heritage in the occupied areas. Perhaps the best example of the nature of the invasion is the sacking of North Cyprus. The authors show concrete data about masterpieces of art - mainly religious - which have been stolen, sold, lost or destroyed, This systematic process of destruction is one of the worst disasters of our time.