Northern Cyprus

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Turkish Republic of Northern CyprusKuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti
Flag Coat of arms of Northern Cyprus Coat of arms
Anthem: İstiklâl Marşı (Turkish) Independence March

Capital	Nicosia
Official languages	Turkish
Government	Representative democratic republic

• President	Mehmet Ali Talat
• Prime Minister	Ferdi Sabit Soyer

Sovereignty (de facto) from Cyprus

• Proclaimed	November 15 1983
• Recognition	By Turkey
• Independence	from Cyprus
• Declared	November 15 1983

• Water (%)	2.7
Population
• 2006 census	264,172
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$2 billion (not ranked)
• Per capita	$16,900 (2004) (not ranked)
Currency	New Turkish Lira (TRY)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Calling code	90
Internet TLD	.nc.tr
Freedomhouse.org Country Report Template:PDFlink Nüfus ve Konut Sayimi.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) (Template:Lang-tr)(KKTC), (Template:Lang-gr) (ΤΔΒΚ) is a de facto independent republiclocated in northern Cyprus within the internationally recognised borders of the Republic of Cyprus. The TRNC declared its independence in 1983, nine years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus following a Greek Cypriot coup that was backed by the Athens Junta against the President of Cyprus. It is dependent on and recognized only by Turkey. The United Nations recognizes the de jure sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus 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 Karpass Peninsula (Cape Apostolos Andreas) in the northeast, the TRNC extends westward to Morphou Bay and Cape Kormakitis (the Kokkina/Erenköy exclave marks the westernmost extent of the TRNC), and southward to the village of Louroujina/Akıncılar. The territory between the TRNC and the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus is separated by a United Nations-controlled buffer zone.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK TURKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CYPRUS IS A GREEK MOTHERLAD AND SHALL STAY SO FOREVER!!!

Government and politics

File:Ma talat.jpg

Mehmet Ali Talat - Current President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Main article: Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is head of state and the Prime Minister head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Assembly of the Republic. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The president is elected for a five-year term. The current president is Mehmet Ali Talat who won the presidential elections on April 17, 2005. The legislature is the Assembly of the Republic, which has 50 members elected by proportional representation from five electoral districts. In the elections of February 2005, the Republican Turkish Party, 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 article: 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.

In wake of the April 2004 referendum on the United Nations Annan Plan, 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 Organization of the Islamic Conference gave the TRNC the status of a constituent state, making the "Turkish Cypriot State" an observer member of the organization. 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 Condoleezza Rice, British foreign minister Jack Straw, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

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 EU legislation until a settlement has been found. There is no support for admitting two Cypriot member states into the EU, as long as the Cyprus dispute 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.

Military

Main article: Military of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an indigeneous 5,000-man Turkish Cypriot Security Force (TCSF), which is primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 18 and 40. There is also an additional reserve force consisting of about 11,000 first-line, 10,000 second-line and 5,000 third-line troops conscripted up to the age of 50. The TCSF is lightly armed and heavily dependent on its mainland Turkish allies, from which it draws much of its officer corps. It is led by a Brigadier General drawn from the Turkish Army. It acts essentially as a gendarmerie with a self-proclaimed mission of protecting the border of the TRNC from Greek Cypriot incursions and maintaining internal security within the TRNC.

In addition, the mainland Turkish Armed Forces maintain a "Cyprus Turkish Peace Force" (CTPF), regarded by the Republic of Cyprus as an illegal occupation force, consisting of around 30-40,000 troops drawn from the 9th Turkish Army Corps and comprising two divisions, the 28th and 39th. It is equipped with a substantial number of United States-made M48 Patton main battle tanks and artillery weapons. The Turkish Air Force, Turkish Navy and Turkish Coast Guard also have a presence in Northern Cyprus. Although formally part of Turkish 4th Army, headquartered in İzmir, the sensitivities of the Cyprus situation means that the commander of the CTPF also reports directly to the Turkish General Staff in Ankara. The CTPF is deployed principally along the Green Line and in locations where hostile amphibious landings might take place.

The presence of the mainland Turkish military in Cyprus is highly controversial, having been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions, though the failed Annan Plan of 2004 allowed for some troops to remain.

Administrative divisions

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is divided into five administrative regions:

Geography and climate

The climate of the island is of an extreme Mediterranean 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 sirocco 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 article: 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 Turkey.

The continuing Cyprus problem adversely affects the economic development of the TRNC. The Republic of Cyprus, 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%. 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).

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.

Communications and transport

Because of its status and the embargo, the TRNC is heavily dependent on Turkish military and economic support. It uses the New Turkish Lira 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 dialling code: +90 392, as the TRNC has neither its own contry code, nor official ITU prefix. Similarly, the TRNC has no top level domain of its own, and is under the Turkish second-level domain .nc.tr, while mail must be addressed 'via Mersin 10, TURKEY' as the Universal Postal Union does not recognise the TRNC as a separate entity. Amateur radio operators sometimes use callsigns 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 Geçitkale and Ercan are only recognised as legal ports of entry by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

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.

Naturalized TRNC citizens or foreigners carrying a passport stamped by the TRNC authorities may be refused entry by the Republic of Cyprus or Greece, 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 Green Line from the part of Nicosia 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

Ercan International Airport (Lefkoşa/Nicosia - Main Airport)
Geçitkale/Lefkoniko Airport (Mağusa/Famagusta)
Ilker Karter Airport (Girne/Kyrenia)
Topel Airport (Güzelyurt/Morphou)
Pınarbaşı Airport (Girne/Kyrenia)

Sea Ports

Port of Mağusa (Famagusta)
Famagusta Free Port & Zone
Port of Girne (Kyrenia)

TRNC airports are forbidden from receiving international flights as the Republic of Cyprus has declared those ports and airports of the island nation closed after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. According to a House of Lords 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 opposed 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.

Universities

Non-governmental organizations

Management Centre for the Eastern Mediterranean, 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.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Red Crescent Association 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, of which only just over half is composed of indigenous Turkish Cypriots, 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. Estimates by the government of the Republic of Cyprus from 2001 place the population at 200,000, of which 80-89,000 are Turkish Cypriots and 109,000-117,000 Turkish settlers. 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. 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 dialect.

There are small populations of Greek Cypriots and Maronites (about 3,000) living in Rizokarpaso and Kormakitis regions.

Art

Tourist attractions

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Famagusta (Gazimağusa). Formerly Τhe Saint Nicolas Cathedral prior to its conversion in 1571.

Nicosia has an old town centre similar to that of Famagusta. 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 (Pentadactylos, 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 Rizokarpaso (Karpaz) peninsula on the easternmost tip of the island and is a nesting ground for endangered loggerhead and green turtles.

References

Antiwar.com. In Praise of 'Virtual States', Leon Hadar, November 16, 2005
Carter Johnson, University of Maryland. Sovereignty or Demography? Reconsidering the Evidence on Partition in Ethnic Civil Wars, 2005
Emerson, Michael (2004). The Wider Europe Matrix. CPSE. ISBN 9290794690.
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/487/80/IMG/NR048780.pdf ODS - Sédoc] Official Documents System of the United Nations
Islamic Conference's Parliaments to Call TRNC 'Cyprus Turkish State Zaman
David Gow (2004-10-07). "EU puts Turkey on a long road to accession". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-01-30. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
"EU Sets Deadline for Turkey to Open Up Its Ports". Deutsche Welle. 2006-11-21. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
^ "Cyprus." Jane's Sentinel: Eastern Mediterranean, issue 22, 2007.
UN Security Council resolutions 353(1974), 357(1974), 358(1974), 359(1974), 360(1974), 365(1974)
^ University of Oxford, European Studies Centre, Workshop on Cyprus 10-11 March 2006
Tourism statistics for the period January-August 2003: North Cyprus Ministry of Economy and Tourism
Visa requirements for Cyprus
Template:PDFlink Nüfus ve Konut Sayimi
Simon Bahceli (2007-02-15). "Indigenous Turkish Cypriots just over half north's population". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
^ Quoted after the Euromosaic report, a study commissioned by the European Commission (Template:PDFlink

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