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 |
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| Area - Total - % water |
3,355 km² 2.7% |
| Population - Total (2003) - Density |
210,047 |
| Establishment - Declared - Recognition |
November 15, 1983 Turkey |
| Currency | New Turkish Lira 1 |
| Time zone - in summer |
EET (UTC+2) EEST (UTC+3) |
| National anthem | none |
| Internet TLD | .nc.tr |
| Calling Code | +90 392 |
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1 Since January 1 2005, the New Turkish Lira (Yeni Türk Lirası) replaced the old Turkish Lira. | |
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) (Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti) is a psuedostate that was declared in the northern occupied Cyprus since 1983 ( although its predecessor as de facto state, the Turkish Federative State of North Cyprus existed from 1975 to 1983). The northern part of Cyprus was first separated from the rest of Cyprus following the Turkish invasion in 1974. It is claimed that the Turkish invasion was in direct response to a Greek backed military coup however after over 30 years, the Turkish Cypriots, on whose behalf the invaision supposedly took place, are again a minority with many chosing to join Greek Cypriots abroad including in London. The Greek backed military coup was aiming for Enosis, union of Cyprus with Greece which was supported through referendum by 90% of the population. The military intervention was defended by Turkey as justified under the 1960 treaty of guarantee of Cyprus.
So far, Turkey is the only country which recognises the TRNC, while all other governments and the United Nations recognise the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the whole island.
The "TRNC" has a population of about 200,000 and an area of 3,355 square kilometres (including the tiny exclave of Kokkina (Turkish: Erenköy). Its population is almost entirely Turkish-speaking (both Turkish-Cypriots and mainland Turks) with small populations of Greek Cypriots and Maronites. The TRNC includes the northern part of the city of Nicosia (Turkish: Lefkoşa, Greek: Lefkosia), which serves as its capital.
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 Louroujina salient. The territory between the TRNC and the remainder of Cyprus is separated by a United Nations-controlled buffer zone.
History
The "TRNC" was established after the 1974 Turkish military invasion and subsequent occupation of Cyprus. This invasion followed a military coup in Cyprus against the government of Archbishop Makarios, led by Greek Cypriots and backed by the then military regime in Greece. Turkey saw this coup as a violation of the international agreements under which Cyprus became independent, and as a threat to the Turkish Cypriot minority.
As noted above, the "TRNC" was known by Turkey from 1975 until 1983 as the Turkish Federative State of North Cyprus. Turkey still has over 30,000 troops (some reports put the number as high as 40,000) stationed in northern occupied Cyprus, despite several UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Turkish military invasion and occupation, several judgments of the European Court of Human Rights condeming the continuing occupation an human rights violations, the 1975 declaration of the federative state, and the 1983 declaration of independence.
For detailed accounts of the background to the Cyprus dispute, see:
Politics
Main Article: Politics of northern occupied Cyprus
The "TRNC", recognised by no other State other than Turkey, declares itself as a democracy, with a president elected for a five-year term. Its pseudo-legislature is the so-called House of Representatives (Temsilciler Meclisi), 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
Main Article: Foreign Relations of northern occupied Cyprus
The international community - with the exception of Turkey - does not recognize the "TRNC" as a sovereign nation. The Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic region of Azerbaijan does regard the "TRNC" as sovereign, but Nakhievian is not an independent state. The Organization of the Islamic Conference gives the "TRNC" the status of a constituent state, and it is an observer member of this organization.
Since the 2004 referendum on the United Nations Annan Plan, the attitude of the international community towards the "TRNC' has changed. Günter Verheugen, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner, was reported as saying that the EU was considering opening a representative office in the TRNC. EU foreign ministers agreed to give the "TRNC" area 259 million euros (US$307 million) in aid. Verheugen also said that the Greek Cypriot government should not expect a reduction in the number of Turkish troops stationed in Cyprus due to the failure of the Annan plan. Instead Turkey might increase their number beyond the current 30,000, he said.
Communications and Transport
The "TRNC" is heavily dependent on Turkish military and economic support. It uses the New Turkish Lira as its currency. All "TRNC" exports and imports are via Turkey, as are its communication links [it should be noted that the European Court of Justice has ruled that goods produced in occupied Cyprus are not considered EU products unless they have been approved by the Republic of Cyprus]. International telephone calls are routed via a Turkish dialling code, +90 392, on the Internet TRNC is under the Turkish second-level ___domain .nc.tr, and mail must be addressed to Mersin 10, TURKEY as the Universal Postal Union refuses to recognise the TRNC as a separate entity.
Flying to northern occupied Cyprus is somewhat problematic, since the airports of Geçitkale (Greek: Lefkoniko) and Ercan (Greek: Tymbou) are only recognized as legal ports of entry by Azerbaijan and Turkey, so all flights to the area must currently land in those countries first (Note: Following a 2005 visit by three members of the U.S. Congress to Ercan, indications are that the airport satisfies US security standards for international flights. Ercan was in particular subject to extensive security checks some months prior to the June 2005 landing. In June 2005, President George W. Bush instructed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to make an investigation into the practicality of direct commercial airline flights from the United States to Ercan).
"TRNC's" sea ports had been declared closed to all shipping by the Republic of Cyprus since the Turkish invasion in 1974. Turkey however ignores this declaration while "TRNC"-registered vessels have free access to Turkish sea ports (Note: In retaliation for the closure order, Turkey also refuses Cypriot-flagged ships to enter Turkish territorial waters, despite the signing of the EU Customs Union Protocol. In return, the European Union has demanded the lifting of the Turkish ban on Cypriot shipping and aviation and the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus as preconditions of Turkey's EU accession).
Anyone who has a "TRNC" immigration stamp 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 by the Cypriot government. The Republic of Cyprus allows unrestricted passage across the Green Line from South Nicosia (and a few other selected crossing points) into the north, since "TRNC" does not require a visa or leave entry stamps for such visits.
See also
- List of cities in Cyprus for Greek, Turkish and Classical names.
- Elections in Cyprus
- Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation
- Türk Ajansi Kibris (TAK) News Agency