Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Information.


NORTH CYPRUS (Turkish: Kuzey K?br?s), formally named the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) , is a de facto state located in the northern portion of the island of Cyprus. Area - 3 300 sq.km. Population - 200 000 (2009) Capital - Nicosia. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot populations culminated in 1974 with a coup d'etat, an attempt to annex the island to Greece and a military invasion by Turkey in response resulted in a partitioning of the island, the resettlement of many of its inhabitants, and, eventually, a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Northern Cyprus has received diplomatic recognition only from Turkey, upon which it is dependent for economic, political and military support. The rest of the international community, including the United Nations and the European Union, recognises the de jure sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island. Attempts to reach a solution to the dispute have so far been unsuccessful. In 2004 a fifth revision of the UN Annan Plan to settle the Cyprus dispute was accepted by a majority of Turkish Cypriots in a referendum, but rejected by a majority of Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus; its presence is supported and approved by the de facto local government, but the Republic of Cyprus and the international community regard it as an illegal occupation force, and its presence has also been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions. Currency - Turkish lira (TRY).
See also: Republic of Cyprus