Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Northern Cyprus covers the northern third of the island, from the tip of the Karpas Peninsula in the north-east to Morphou Bay in the north-west. According to the TRNC Statistical Institute's projection published in February 2026, its population at the end of 2024 was 489,308. The capital is North Nicosia, the state language Turkish, and the Turkish lira is used as currency.

History

The Ottomans took the island from Venice in 1571 and settled Turks from Anatolia there. Britain took over administration in 1878, and in 1960 the Republic of Cyprus was founded as a joint state of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities.

Intercommunal violence in 1963–1964 ("Bloody Christmas" for Turkish Cypriots) confined Turkish Cypriots to enclaves. In 1974, after a coup backed by the Greek junta, Türkiye launched a military operation on the island (called the "Cyprus Peace Operation" in Türkiye), which left it divided. Northern Cyprus was proclaimed on 15 November 1983; the UN Security Council did not recognise the declaration, and negotiations to settle the Cyprus problem continue.

Geography

The Kyrenia (Beşparmak) Mountains run along the north coast with the broad Mesaoria plain to their south, and the long Karpas Peninsula extends to the north-east. The climate is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild winters.

Government and economy

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential republic whose parliament is the Assembly of the Republic, and it is an observer of the Organization of Turkic States. Its economy is dominated by services — the public sector, trade, tourism and higher education — with many universities attended by tens of thousands of foreign students.