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{{POV-title}}
{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = ''Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti''
|conventional_long_name = Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
|common_name = Northern Cyprus
|image_flag = Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg
|image_coat = Northern Cyprus coa.png
|symbol_type = Coat of arms
|image_map = TRNC_location.png
|national_anthem = '']''{{spaces|2}}<small>(])<br/>''Independence March''</small>
|official_languages = ]
|capital = ]
|latd=35 |latm=10 |latNS=N |longd=33 |longm=22 |longEW=E
|government_type = ] ]{{smallsup|1}}
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|sovereignty_type = ] {{nobold|('']'')}}
|sovereignty_note = from ]
|established_event1 = Proclaimed
|established_date1 = ] ]
|established_event2 = Recognition
|established_date2 = By ]
|established_event3 = ''']'''
|established_date3 = from ]
|established_event4 = ]
|established_date4 = ] ]
|area_rank = not ranked
|area_magnitude = 1 E9
|area = 3,355
|areami² = 1,295
|percent_water = 2.7
|population_census = 264,172
|population_census_year = 2006{{smallsup|2}}
|population_density = 78
|population_densitymi² = 203
|population_density_rank = not ranked
|currency = ]
|currency_code = TRY
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP = $2 billion{{Fact|date=March 2007}} <!--http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2005/09/25/eko119.html-->
|GDP_PPP_rank = not ranked
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $16,900 (2004)
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = not ranked
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST = ]
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 90
|calling_code_note = &nbsp; spec. +90-392
|footnote1 =
|footnote2 = {{PDFlink||88.8&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 91019 bytes -->}} Nüfus ve Konut Sayimi.
}}

The '''Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus''' (TRNC) ({{lang-tr|Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti}}) (KKTC) is a ] ]<ref name=HISTORY></ref><ref name=defacto1>{{PDFlink|}}</ref><ref name=defacto2>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,634513,00.html|title=Cyprus|publisher=]|date=]|accessdate=2007-05-24}}</ref><ref name=defacto3></ref> located in northern ] within the internationally recognised borders of the ]. The TRNC declared its independence in 1983, nine years after the ] following a Greek Cypriot ] that was backed by the Athens Junta against the President of Cyprus. It is dependent on and ] only by ]. The ] recognizes the '']'' sovereignty of the ] over the whole island and the elected leader of the Turkish community of the Republic of Cyprus as a negotiating partner.

From the tip of the ] (]) in the northeast, the TRNC extends westward to ] and ] (the Kokkina/Erenköy ] marks the westernmost extent of the TRNC), and southward to the village of ]. The territory between the TRNC and the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus is separated by a ]-controlled ].

==History==
{{main|Cyprus Intercommunal violence |Turkish invasion of Cyprus}}
The Constitution of ], while establishing an Independent and sovereign Republic, was, in the words of de Smith, an authority on Constitutional Law; ''"Unique in its tortuous complexity and in the multiplicity of the safeguards that it provides for the principal minority; the Constitution of Cyprus stands alone among the constitutions of the world"''.<ref name=HISTORY> Council of Europe</ref> Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. In 1963 President Makarios proposed unilateral changes to the constitution via ], an unconstitutional act itself according to ].<ref>David Hannay, 2005. Cyprus the search for a solution. I.B Tauris.</ref> Turkey and the ] rejected the proposed amendments as an attempt to settle many of the constitutional disputes in the Greek Cypriots' favor<ref name=REJECTION> The Cyprus Conflict</ref> and as a means of demoting the Turks' status as co-founders of the state to one of minority status, removing their constitutional safeguards in the process. The President believed the amendments necessary, "to resolve constitutional deadlocks".<ref name=HISTORY/>

On 21 December 1963, a Turkish Cypriot crowd clashed with the plainclothes special constables of Yorgadjis. Almost immediately an organised attack by Greek Cypriot paramilitaries was launched upon Turkish Cypriots in Nicosia and Larnaca. Though the ]-now charged with defending the Turkish Cypriots- committed a number of acts of retaliation, the historian Keith Kyle notes “there is no doubt that the main victims of the numerous incidents that took place during the next few months were Turks”<ref name=REJECTION/>. 700 Turkish hostages, including women and children, were taken from the northern suburbs of Nicosia. ] led a group of Greek Cypriot irregulars into the mixed suburb of Omorphita and massacred the Turkish Cypriot population indiscriminately.<ref> Andrew Borowiec, 2000. Cyprus: A troubled island. Praeger/Greenwood p.56</ref>. By 1964, 193 Turkish Cypriots and 133 Greek Cypriots were killed, with a further 209 Turks and 41 Greeks missing, presumed dead.
]]]

Turkish Cypriots members of government had by now withdrawn, creating an essentially Greek Cypriot administration in control of all institutions of the state. Widespread looting of Turkish Cypriot villages led to twenty thousand refugees retreating into ] which remained for 11 years,<ref name=HISTORY/> relying on food and medical supplies from Turkey to survive. Turkish Cypriots thus formed paramilitary groups to defend the enclaves, leading to a gradual division of the island's communities into two hostile camps. Approximately 20,000 Turkish Cypriots fled their homes and villages to live in enclaves with many of their abandoned villages and homes looted. <ref name=REJECTION/>. As Professor Clement Dodd notes, “They had, of necessity, to relocate themselves in about 3 per cent of the land they owned, estimated at about 34 per cent of Cyprus. Many left the country in those years to seek a living in Britain, Australia and Turkey, and elsewhere, with active encouragement by Greek Cypriots.” <ref> Quoted in Andrew Borowiec, 2000. Cyprus: A troubled island. Praeger/Greenwood p.58</ref>.

The Republic of Cyprus argues the withdrawal from government and the retreat to enclaves by Turkish Cypriots was voluntary and part of a desire by Turkish Cypriots to form their own state. In support of this, they refer to a 1965 statement by the then United Nations Secterary General who stated Turkish Cypriots had furthered a policy of "self-segregation" and taken a "rigid stand" against policies which may involve recognising the governments authority. <ref>'' Bow Educational Briefing No.5. London, Pages 1-7</ref>

On 15 July 1974, the ] backed a Greek Cypriot military ] in Cyprus. President ] was removed from office and ], a former ] fighter and a member of the Parliament, became president. Turkey claimed that under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee the coup was sufficient reason for military action and thus Turkey invaded Cyprus on 20 July 1974. Turkey's position was that such intervention was necessary to protect the Turkish Cypriot populace. The coup failed and Makarios returned to Cyprus. Turkish forces proceeded to take over about 37% of the island, causing large numbers of Greek Cypriots to abandon their ]. Approximately 160,000 Greek Cypriots fled to the south of the island, while 50,000 Turkish Cypriots fled north. Approximately 1500 Greek Cypriot and 500 Turkish Cypriots remain missing.<ref name=FLEEING> BBC News</ref>

In 1975 the "Turkish Federative State of Cyprus" (''Kıbrıs Türk Federe Devleti'') was declared as a first step towards a future federated Cypriot state, but was rejected by the Republic of Cyprus, by the UN, and by the international community. After eight years of failed negotiations with the leadership of the Greek Cypriot community, the north declared its independence on 15 November 1983 under the name of the ''Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus''. The ] was rejected by the UN and the Republic of Cyprus.

In recent years the politics of reunification has dominated the islands affairs. It was hoped European Union accession would act as a catalyst towards a settlement. In 2004 a United Nations brokered peace settlement was put to a referendum on both sides, with Turkish Cypriots accepting and Greek Cypriots rejecting it, the result being the entry of a divided island into the European Union. The long serving Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas had resigned in wake of the vote, ushering in the pro-solutionist Mehmet Ali Talat as President.

{{See also|History of Cyprus|Cyprus under the Ottoman Empire|Cyprus dispute|Operation Atilla}}

== Government and politics ==
] - Current President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]]
{{Main|Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus}}
Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus takes place in a framework of a ] ] ], whereby the ] is ] and the ] ], and of a pluriform multi-party system. ] is exercised by the government. ] is vested in both the ] and the ]. The ] is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The president is elected for a five-year term. The current president is ] who won the presidential elections on April 17, 2005. The legislature is the Assembly of the Republic, which has 50 members elected by ] from five electoral districts. In the elections of February 2005, the ], which favours a peace settlement and the reunification of Cyprus, retained its position as the largest parliamentary party, but failed to win an overall majority.

==International status and foreign relations==
{{main|Foreign relations of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus}}
The international community, with the exception of Turkey, does not recognize the TRNC as a sovereign state, but recognizes the de jure sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the whole island. The United Nations considers the declaration of independence by the TRNC as legally invalid in several of its resolutions.<ref name=RECOGNITION> Official Documents System of the United Nations</ref>

].]] In wake of the April 2004 referendum on the United Nations ], and the support of the Turkish Cypriot community for reunifcation, the European Union made pledges towards ending the isolation of northern Cyprus. These included measures for trade and 259 million euros in aid.

The ] gave the TRNC the status of a ], making the "Turkish Cypriot State" an observer member of the organization.<ref name=OIC> Zaman</ref> A number of high profile formal meetings have also taken place between President Mehmet Ali Talat and various foreign leaders and politicians including US Secretary of State ], British foreign minister ], Pakistani President ].

Legally, however, the European Union continues to consider the area not under effective control of the Republic of Cyprus as EU territory under Turkish military occupation and thus indefinitely exempt from ] until a settlement has been found. There is no support for admitting two Cypriot member states into the EU, as long as the ] is not solved. The status of TRNC has become a recurrent issue especially during the recent talks for Turkey's membership of the EU where the division of the island is seen as a major stumbling block in Turkey's long road to membership.<ref>{{cite news|author=David Gow|coauthors = Helena Smith|title=EU puts Turkey on a long road to accession|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/turkey/story/0,12700,1321511,00.html|publisher=]|date=2004-10-07|accessdate=2007-01-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=EU Sets Deadline for Turkey to Open Up Its Ports|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2243855,00.html|publisher=]|date=2006-11-21|accessdate = 2007-01-30}}</ref>

==Military ==
{{main article|Military of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus}}
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has a 6,000 man Defense Force which is primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 18 and 40. This force supplements the 35-40,000 strong "Turkish Peace Force"{{Fact|date=September 2007}} — a segment of the ] — which includes the XI Corps with two divisions, which is stationed on the island; major organisations such as the United Nations have expressed opposition to the presence of Turkish Army <ref>UN Security Council resolutions 353(1974), 357(1974), 358(1974), 359(1974), 360(1974), 365(1974)</ref> though the latest, ] ] ] allowed for some troops to remain.

==Administrative divisions==
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is divided into five administrative regions:
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

==Geography and climate==<!-- no info about geography yet, only climate-->
]
The climate of the island is of an extreme ] type with very hot dry summers and relatively cold winters. Most of the rainfall is concentrated between December and January.

The climate of the coastal parts is less extreme than farther inland, due to the fact that the effect of the sea on atmospheric humidities is always present there. The sea temperature itself never falls below 16°C. (January and February); in August it can rise to 28 °C.

Spring and autumn are short, typified by changeable weather, with occasional heavy storms battering the coast in spring and a westerly wind, called "meltem" carrying the influence of Atlantic depressions to this far eastern end of the Mediterranean.

From mid-May to mid-September the sun shines on a daily average of around 11 hours. Temperatures can reach 40°C. On the Mesaoria Plain, although lower on the coasts, with a north-westerly breeze called "Poyraz" prevailing. The skies are cloudless with a low humidity, 40 - 60 per cent, thus the high temperatures are easier to bear. The hot, dry, dust-laden ] wind blowing from Africa also finds its way to the island.

Short-lived stormy conditions resulting from fairly frequent small depressions prevail throughout the winter, with 60 per cent of rain falling between December and February. The Northern Range receives around 550 mm of rain per year, whereas the Mesaoria Plain receives only around 300-400 mm.

Frost and snow are almost unknown in Northern Cyprus, although night temperatures can fall to very low levels in winter.

The chief rain-bearing air currents reach the island from the south-west, so that precipitation and atmospheric humidity is at its greatest on the western and south-western sides of the Southern Range. Eastwards, precipition and humidity are reduced by the partial rain-shadow effect of the Southern Range, a similar effect is also caused by the Northern Range which cut off the humidity associated with proximity to the sea from much of the northern Mesaoria Plain. Eastwards of the Northern Range, towards the bays of the Karpaz Peninsula, where the land narrows and the effect of sea influence increases accordingly, humidity increases progressively towards the end of the peninsula.

Most of the rivers are simply winter torrents, only flowing after heavy rain, the rivers running out of the Northern and Southern Ranges rarely flowing all the year round.

During the wet winter months Cyprus is a green island. However, by the time June arrives the landscape at the lower levels assumes the brown, parched aspect which characterises its summer face. The forests and the vineyards in the mountains, plus the stips of irrigated vegatation in the valleys remain green.

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus}}

The economy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is dominated by the services sector including the public sector, trade, tourism and education, with smaller agriculture and light manufacturing sectors. The economy operates on a free-market basis, with a great portion funding of the administration costs offered by ].

The continuing Cyprus problem adversely affects the economic development of the TRNC. The ], as the internationally recognised authority, has declared airports and ports in the area not under its effective control, closed. All U.N. Member countries and E.U. member countries respect the closure of those ports and airports according to the declaration of the Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish community argues that the Republic of Cyprus has used its international standing to handicap economic relations between TRNC and the rest of the world.

Despite the constraints imposed by its lack of international recognition, the TRNC economy turned in an impressive performance in the last few years. The GDP growth rates of the TRNC economy in 2001-2005 have been 5.4%, 6.9%, 11.4%, 15.4% and 10.6%.<ref name="Oxford">University of Oxford, European Studies Centre, Workshop on Cyprus 10-11 March 2006</ref> This growth has been buoyed by the relative stability of the Turkish Lira and a boom in the education and construction sectors.

Studies by the World Bank show that the per capita GDP in TRNC grew to 76% of the per capita GDP in the Republic of Cyprus in PPP-adjusted terms in 2004. (USD 22,300 for the Republic of Cyprus and USD 16,900 for the TRNC).<ref name="Oxford"/>

Although the TRNC economy has developed in recent years, it is still dependent on monetary transfers from the Turkish government. Under the 2003-06 economic protocol, Ankara plans to provide around $550 million to the TRNC.

The number of tourists visiting Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus during January-August 2003 was 286,901.<ref name=TOURISM> North Cyprus Ministry of Economy and Tourism</ref>

==Communications and transport==
Because of its status and the embargo, the TRNC is heavily dependent on Turkish military and economic support. It uses the ] as its currency; this used to link its economic status to the vagaries of the Turkish economy . All TRNC exports and imports have to take place via Turkey, unless they are produced within the occupied area, from materials sourced in the area (or imported via one of the island's legal ports) when they may be exported via one of the legal ports. International telephone calls are routed via a Turkish ]: +90 392. On the web TRNC is under the Turkish second-level domain ], and mail must be addressed via Mersin 10, Turkey as the ] does not recognise the TRNC as a separate entity. It has no official ]. ] operators sometimes use ]s beginning with "1B", but these have no standing for awards or other operating credit.

Direct flights to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are forbidden by international law. The airports of ] and ] are only recognised as legal ports of entry by Turkey and ].

TRNC sea ports had been declared closed to all shipping by the Republic of Cyprus since 1974. Turkey, however, rejects this declaration while TRNC-registered (but not Cypriot-flagged) vessels have free access to Turkish sea ports.

] or foreigners carrying a passport stamped by the TRNC authorities may be refused entry by the Republic of Cyprus or Greece,{{Fact|date=February 2007}} although after the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU such restrictions have been eased following confidence-building measures between Athens and Ankara and the partial opening of the UN controlled line by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus authorities. The Republic of Cyprus also allows passage across the ] from the part of ] that it controls (as well as a few other selected crossing points), since the TRNC does not leave entry stamps in the passport for such visits.

===Airports and harbours===
Airports & Airfields
*] (Lefkoşa/Nicosia - Main Airport)
*] Airport (Mağusa/Famagusta)
*Ilker Karter Airport (Girne/Kyrenia)
*Topel Airport (Güzelyurt/Morphou)
*Pınarbaşı Airport (Girne/Kyrenia)

]
Sea Ports
*Port of Mağusa (Famagusta)
*
*Port of Girne (Kyrenia)

TRNC airports are forbidden from receiving international flights as the ] has declared those ports and airports of the ] closed after the ]. According to a ] hearing (ref: Cyprus: Direct Flights - 07-01-08) "The simplest way of enabling direct flights would be a decision by the Republic of Cyprus to designate Ercan as an international airport under the terms of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation." In the absence of such a decision, Northern Cyprus remains isolated with only Turkey as its outlet to the rest of the world. Legal residents of the north and visitors are free to use the ports authorised by the Republic of Cyprus (Larnaca and Pafos Airports, and the sea ports of Larnaca and Limassol).

Since May 2004, there have been holiday makers being sent to the TRNC through the border of the greenline. The first tour operator to send their tourists through the borders, and establish the alternative route was Direct Traveller, a UK based operator licenced through the UK CAA. After the operator tried and tested the passage to the destination, one can now find similar services from other providers. The benefit of this is that of direct flights (of only 4 hours) as apposed to the embargoed Ercan airport which can only accept flights first setting down in Turkey. Tourists can now visit the destination by a shorter more convenient flight, and either walk independently or drive with a package/ independently to the northern part of the island of Cyprus.<ref></ref>

===Universities===
*]
*]
*
*
*]
*]

===Non-governmental organizations===
*, an umbrella and support institution for civil society organisations in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It organises conferences, training and other events, contains useful lists of NGOs and other organisations and reports from studies and initiatives.
* which claims descent from an organisation founded in 1974, but which was long dormant. In April 2006, a General Assembly of the organisation elected the recently retired president of the supreme court, Taner Erginel, as President.

==Demographics==
According to a census carried out by the Turkish Cypriot administration, the TRNC has a population of about 264,172,<ref name=POPULATION>{{PDFlink||88.8&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 91019 bytes -->}} Nüfus ve Konut Sayimi</ref> of which only just over half is composed of indigenous ], with the rest including a large number of settlers from Turkey. Of the 178,000 Turkish Cypriot citizens, 74% are native Cypriots (approximately 140,000). Of the remaining people born to non-Cypriot parentage, approximately 16,000 were born in Cyprus. The figure for non-citizens, including students, guest workers and temporary residents stood at 78,000 people.<ref>{{cite news|author=Simon Bahceli|title=Indigenous Turkish Cypriots just over half north’s population|url=http://cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=30725&cat_id=1|publisher=]|date=2007-02-15|accessdate=2007-02-16}}</ref> Estimates by the government of the Republic of Cyprus from ] place the population at 200,000, of which 80-89,000 are Turkish Cypriots and 109,000-117,000 Turkish settlers.<ref name="Euromosaic">Quoted after the ''Euromosaic'' report, a study commissioned by the European Commission ({{PDFlink||120&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 123698 bytes -->}}</ref> Other estimates state that 36,000 Turkish Cypriots emigrated in the period 1975-1995, with the consequence that within the occupied area the native Turkish Cypriots have been outnumbered by settlers from Turkey.<ref name="Euromosaic"/> The TRNC is almost entirely Turkish speaking, however English is widely spoken as a second language. Many of the older Turkish Cypriots speak and understand Greek - some may even be considered native speakers of the Greek Cypriot ].

There are small populations of ]s and ] (about 3,000) living in ] and ] regions.

==Art==
*
*
*
*

== Further reading ==
*''North Cyprus – a Pocket-Guide'', published by Rustem Bookshop, Nicosia, 1. edition 2006, ISBN 994496803x

==Tourist attractions==
] in Famagusta (Gazimağusa). Formerly Τhe Saint Nicolas Cathedral prior to its conversion in 1571.]]
*] has an old town centre similar to that of ]. The ancient city centre is surrounded by a 5.5 km long city wall, which is still intact.
*To the northeast the mythical Five Finger mountains (], Turkish: Beşparmak) guard the city. This rocky five finger mountain rises 1050 meters above sea level and harbours the legend of the Byzantine hero Digenis, who defeated the invading Arabs with supernatural strength.
*One of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean lies on the ] (Karpaz) peninsula on the easternmost tip of the island and is a nesting ground for endangered loggerhead and green turtles.

==See also==
*] for Greek, Turkish and Classical names.
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
===Official links===
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===Other links===
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*{{Wikitravel}}
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Revision as of 05:52, 15 September 2007