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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 (Lefkoşa in Turkish) |
| Official languages | Turkish |
| Demonym(s) | Turkish Cypriot Turkish (max. 50.000) |
| Government | Representative democratic republic |
| • President | Mehmet Ali Talat |
| • Prime Minister | Ferdi Sabit Soyer |
| Independence (de facto) from Cyprus | |
| • Proclaimed | November 15 1983 |
| • Recognition | By Turkey only |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,355 km (1,295 sq mi) (167th ranked together with Cyprus) |
| • Water (%) | 2.7 |
| Population | |
| • 2006 census | 265,100 (de facto) |
| • Density | 78/km (202.0/sq mi) (89th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2006 estimate |
| • Total | $2.85 billion (160th) |
| • Per capita | $11,837 (63rd) |
| Currency | New Turkish lira (YTL ( TRY reserved )) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Calling code | +90 (+90-392 for TRNC) |
| Internet TLD | .nc.tr, or .tr |
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) (Template:Lang-tr, KKTC), commonly called Northern Cyprus (Template:Lang-tr) or North Cyprus, is a de facto independent republic located in the north of Cyprus.
The TRNC declared its independence in 1983, nine years after a Greek Cypriot coup attempting to annex the island to Greece triggered an invasion by Turkey. It has received diplomatic recognition only from Turkey, on which it is dependent economically, politically and militarily. The rest of the international community, including the United Nations and European Union, recognises the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island, including the portion currently under the control of the TRNC.
The Turkish Army maintains a large force in the TRNC that meets with the approval of much of the Turkish Cypriot population. However, the Republic of Cyprus regards it as an illegal occupation force; its presence has also been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions. Attempts to reach a solution to the dispute have so far been unsuccessful. In a 2004 referendum held simultaneously in both parts of the island, the UN Annan Plan to reunite the island was accepted by a majority of Turkish Cypriots. However, amidst concerns that the plan would eliminate the concept of one-person, one-vote largely in favor of Turkish Cypriots and would not safeguard Greek Cypriot rights in Northern Cyprus, an overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots rejected the proposal.
The TRNC extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula (Cape Apostolos Andreas) in the northeast, 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 no man's land or buffer zone stretching between the two areas is under the control of the United Nations.
Government and politics
Main article: Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern CyprusPolitics 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 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 favors 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 recognise the TRNC as a sovereign state, but recognises 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 the plan, the European Union made pledges towards ending the isolation of northern Cyprus. These included measures for trade and 259 million euro 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, the then British foreign minister, Jack Straw and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
The European Union considers 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. 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.
On February 18, 2008, The TRNC became one of the first nations to acknowledge the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Kosovo, in direct opposition to the stance of the Republic of Cyprus, which rejects the Kosovo UDI. It is argued by the Turkish and TRNC media that the independence of Kosovo could be a good model for the TRNC's recognition. It is to be stressed however that the TRNC's government has not yet formally recognized the government of Kosovo, despite President Talat's message of congratulations to Kosovo.
Military
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an indigenous 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 charged with protection of 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) 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 as an illegal occupation force by the Republic of Cyprus government. Several United Nations Security Council resolutions have called on the Turkish forces to withdraw, though failed Annan Plan of 2004 allowed for some troops to remain.
Administrative divisions
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is divided into five districts.
Education
Main article: Education in Northern CyprusThe education system in Northern Cyprus consists of pre-school education, primary education, secondary education and higher education. Five years of primary education is mandatory.
There are six universities in Northern Cyprus, including Near East University, Girne American University, Middle East Technical University, European University of Lefke, Cyprus International University, and Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU). EMU is an internationally recognised institution of higher learning with more than 1000 faculty members from 35 countries. There are 15,000 students in EMU comprised of 68 different nationalities. EMU has been approved by the Higher Education Council of Turkey. It is a full individual member of the European University Association, Community of Mediterranean Universities, Federation Universities of Islamic World and International Association of Universities.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Northern Cyprus
The economy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is dominated by the services sector (69% of GDP in 2007), which includes the public sector, trade, tourism and education. Industry (light manufacturing) contributes 22% of GDP and agriculture 9%. The economy operates on a free-market basis, with a great portion funding of the administration costs offered by Turkey.
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 locally, from materials sourced in the area (or imported via one of the island's recognised ports) when they may be exported via one of the legal ports.
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 the lack of international recognition, the TRNC economy turned in an impressive performance in the last few years. The nominal GDP growth rates of the TRNC economy in 2001-2005 were 5.4%, 6.9%, 11.4%, 15.4% and 10.6%, respectively. The real GDP growth rate in 2007 is estimated at 2%. This growth has been buoyed by the relative stability of the Turkish Lira and a boom in the education and construction sectors.
Between 2002 and 2007, Gross National Product per capita more than tripled (in current US dollars):
- US$4,409 (2002)
- US$5,949 (2003)
- US$8,095 (2004)
- US$10,567 (2005)
- US$11,837 (2006)
- US$14,047 (2007, provisional)
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 (US$22,300 for the Republic of Cyprus and US$16,900 for the TRNC). Official estimates for the GDP per capita in current US dollars are US$8,095 in 2004 and US$11,837 in 2006.
Although the TRNC economy has developed in recent years, it is still dependent on monetary transfers from the Turkish government. Under a July 2006 agreement, Ankara is to provide Northern Cyprus with an economic aid in the amount of $1.3 billion over three years (2006-2008). This is a continuation of ongoing policy under which Turkish government allocates around $400 million annually from its budget to help raise the living standards of the Turkish Cypriots.
The number of tourists visiting the TRNC during January-August 2006 was 380,000, up from 286,901 during January-August 2003.
Communications and transport
International telephone calls are routed via Turkish dialling code (+90 392), as the TRNC has neither its own country 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 and the trade traffic through the Turkish Cypriot ports are restricted as part of the embargo on Turkish Cypriot ports. The airports of Geçitkale and Ercan are only recognised as legal ports of entry by Turkey and Azerbaijan.. In addition, the TRNC's seaports in Famagusta and Kyrenia have been declared closed to all shipping by the Republic of Cyprus since 1974. Nevertheless, by agreement between Northern Cyprus and Syria, there is a ship tour between Famagusta and Latakia (Syria). Since the opening of the Green Line, Turkish Cypriot residents are allowed to trade through Greek Cypriot ports.
Naturalised 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. Since May 2004, some tourists have taken to flying to the Republic of Cyprus directly and crossing the green line to holiday in the TRNC.
Demographics
According to a census carried out in the beginning of 2006 by the Turkish Cypriot administration, the TRNC has a population of 265,100, of which majority is composed of indigenous Turkish Cypriots, with the rest including a large number of settlers from Turkey. Of the 178,000 Turkish Cypriot citizens, 82% are native Cypriots (145,000). Of the 45,000 people born to non-Cypriot parentage, nearly 40% (17,000) 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.. An island-wide census in 1960 indicated the number of Turkish Cypriots as 102,000 and Greek Cypriots as 450,000. Estimates state that 36,000 (about 1/3) Turkish Cypriots emigrated in the period 1975-1995, with the consequence that within Northern Cyprus the native Turkish Cypriots have been outnumbered by settlers from Turkey.
The TRNC is almost entirely Turkish speaking. English, however, 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.
Further reading
- North Cyprus – a Pocket-Guide, published by Rustem Bookshop, Nicosia, 1. edition 2006, ISBN 994496803x
See also
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References
- Freedomhouse.org Country Report on Northern Cyprus, 2006
- ^ TRNC General Population and Housing Unit Census 2006, TRNC State Planning Organization, updated 7 October 2008.
- ^ Economic and Social Indicators 1977-2007, TRNC State Planning Organization, February 2008
- 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.
- ^ UN Security Council resolutions 353(1974), 357(1974), 358(1974), 359(1974), 360(1974), 365(1974)
- Annan Plan For Cyprus Settlement - Full Text
- uninvitedguest.org
- Ods Home Page
- 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.
- ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Cyprus: scroll down to section entitled Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots
- Universities: Little accord on the island - Higher, Education - The Independent
- ^ Cyprus after Accession: Thinking Outside the Box – Background Documents, University of Oxford, European Studies Centre, Workshop on Cyprus 10-11 March 2006
- ^ General information about North Cyprus: Economy, web site of Unistar Investments Ltd., Bellapais, North Cyprus
- Turkey, N. Cyprus sign economic development deal, Hurriyet Turkish Daily News, 4 May 2007.
- Tourism statistics for the period January-August 2003: North Cyprus Ministry of Economy and Tourism
- BBC NEWS | Europe | Turkey 'will open up to Cyprus'
- North Cyprus Airport, Ercan, Larnaca, Cheap Flights Northern Cyprus
- Merchant Shipping
- HC 113 II 04.05.PDF
- Visa requirements for Cyprus
- On the case: non-existent flight; Northern Cyprus; children in the Algarve; Cannes - Telegraph
- 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
- Cyprus - SOCIETY
External links
- Official links
- Office Of The President, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
- Northern Cypriot Tourism Office
- TRNC Public Information Office
- TRNC Central Bank in Turkish language
- Other links
- ATCA News, Association of Turkish Cypriots Abroad
- "Islamic Conference's Parliaments to Call TRNC 'Cyprus Turkish State'" JTW
- International Expert Panel for a European Solution in Cyprus
- Assembly of Turkish American Associations
- Chronology - Cyprus Issue
- Turkish Cypriots of Australia - Historical Book
- Münüse, Folk Music
- TIKA
- Template:Wikitravel
- EU task-force on Turkish Cypriot community
- Northern Cyprus a refuge for British fugitives
- Attorney-General v. Ibrahim ("Principle of necessity")
- Enforceability in England of Republic of Cyprus Judgment against purchaser of real property in Northern Cyprus: High Court of Justice, judgement of 6 September 2006, Orams v. Apostolides, EWHC 2226 (QB). A French summary of the judgement of the Cypriot court (Eparchiako Dikastirio Lefkosias, case no. 9968/04, 19 April 2005, Apostolidis v. D. and L. Orams) is available in Reflets, Informations rapides sur les développements juridiques présentant un intérêt communautaire, Nº 1/2006. A reference for a preliminary ruling has been made by the Court of Appeal to the European Court of Justice on 13 September 2007(case C-420/07, Official Journal of the European Union, 8.12.2007, 2007/C 297/34).
- Caglar v. Billingham (status and taxability of official representative in London of the Northern Cyprus government)
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