WHERE IS NORTH CYPRUS?
POPULATION AND OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
TRAVEL
ACCOMMODATION
NORTH CYPRUS, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE NORTHEAST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, IS THE THIRD LARGEST ISLAND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AFTER SICILY AND SARDINIA.
TRNC HAS A POPULATION OF 326 THOUSAND. THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE TRNC IS TURKISH.
TRANSPORTATION TO NORTH CYPRUS, OPENING ITS DOORS TO ALL WORLD COUNTRIES, CAN BE MADE THROUGH ERCAN AIRPORT AND PASSENGER SHIP PORTS.
IN THE TRNC YOU CAN FIND FIVE-STAR HOLIDAY VILLAGES, HOTELS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS, HOSTELS, CAMPING AREAS, AND ALL KINDS OF BUNGALOWS VARYING ACCORDING TO TASTE AND BUDGET.
Get to Know
North Cyprus
Where is North Cyprus?
North Cyprus, which is located in the northeast of the Mediterranean, is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. It is located 70km south of Turkey, 100km west of Syria, 370km north of Egypt, 950km southeast of Greece and 170km northwest of Lebanon. The island of Cyprus, which has hosted many civilizations in history, has a surface area of 9251 km2. With the II. Peace Operation that happened in 1974, Cyprus was divided into two different regions, North Cyprus, and South Cyprus. While North Cyprus is 3355km2 in total, South Cyprus is 5896km2.
Due to disagreements during the years of 1963 and 1974 between the Turkish and Greek communities residing upon the island, problems began to occur. Faced with these problems, the island of Cyprus was divided into two separate independent states with the military intervention of Turkey in 1974. With the occurrence of this division, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the north and the Republic of Cyprus to the south, continue their existence separately. The border named the “Green Line”, that came to existence with the division of the two communities, also divides the city of Nicosia into two, which is the capital city of both the Turkish and Greek administrations.
TRNC Establishment, Population, and Official Language
The TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) was declared on the 15th November 1983 by Rauf Raif Denktaş. With its Capital city declared as Nicosia, the TRNC has a population of 326 thousand, according to today’s data. At almost 160km’s in length and 65km at its widest region, the TRNC has 5 separate districts: Nicosia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Morphou, and Trikomo. The official language of the TRNC is Turkish.
How You Can Get to North Cyprus
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has opened its doors to all the countries in the world and thus, you can enter the island with a passport from any country. It is possible to reach North Cyprus via Ercan airport or via any of the passenger ship ports. Based on their reasons for entering the country and their documents, a temporary visa is issued for the stay of foreign passengers. For information regarding extensions of the required periods, one may apply to the TRNC Immigration Department.
Climate and Vegetation
The TRNC has a Mediterranean climate, meaning dry and hot summers and warm and rainy winters. In terms of the average annual temperatures, during the summer you can see temperatures of 30°C (90°F) and above, and around 10°C (50°F) during the winter. When it comes to the vegetation, small and dwarf maquis dominate the island. One of the most beautiful features of the North Cyprus vegetation is that due to the rainfall in the winter months, the color green spreads across the island before your eyes. Among the natural vegetation, red tulips and yellow daisies find their place, dotted across the vast plains, and laced upon the roadsides.
Beaches
The TRNC coasts have an average sea water temperature of 24°C between the months of May and October, featuring all the facilities to meet your needs during your visit, such as restaurants, cafes and bars, umbrellas, and more. In addition, with sea sport facilities such as water ski’s, banana, ringo, jet-ski, parasailing, kitesurfing, surfing, and many more activities, you can definitely find a fun way to pass the time.
Accommodation
In the TRNC you can find five-star holiday villages, hotels, boutique hotels, hotel apartments, hostels, camping areas, and all kinds of bungalows varying according to taste and budget. A majority of the tourist accommodation facilities are located in the Kyrenia, Morphou and Karpasia regions. You can either choose between European standard 3-, 4-, or 5-star hotels, or for those of you who wish to enjoy a more authentic holiday, you can choose a style of accommodation that is one with nature.
Night Life
While North Cyprus is ideal for a quiet and relaxing holiday, if you are looking for the fun nightlife scene, then you are in the right place. The active nightlife in Cyprus is mostly found in the Kyrenia region. Due to its make-up, North Cyprus has all types of holiday-related activities that you would look for throughout the four seasons. Whether you want to sip a drink while chatting in a bar or enjoy some nightclub entertainment, you can find it all here. With each more delicious than the other, you can satisfy your hunger from the many restaurants hosting different cultures, eating from the cuisine of a country you wish. In addition, the historical port of Kyrenia Harbor frequently hosts you our guests, with the region having the necessary atmosphere in order for you to have a good time.
Shopping
Within the North Cyprus market, as well as European and Turkish products, you can find North Cyprus’ unique local products. With locals being particularly welcoming with pleasant conversation, your shopping experience will become even more enjoyable. You can find copper, silver, bronze, handicrafts, ceramics, and countless handmade items within the gift shops. Leather, gold, and fabric products are generally sold at a cheaper rate than that of the current world market rates, and in addition to this, when buying products with Turkish Lira, they become even more affordable in relation to the difference in exchange rates.
Museums
Below you can find a list of museums you can constantly find open, with the exception of a few particular days: Museum of Barbarism, Dervish Pasha Mansion, The Dr. Fazıl Küçük Museum, The Kyrenia Shipwreck, The Kyrenia Icon Museum, The Private Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus, North Cyprus Herbarium, The Nicosia Mevlevi Lodge, House of Lusignan, The National Struggle Museum (Nicosia), The Namık Kemal Dungeon and Museum, The Stone Artifacts Museum
Traffic, Local Transport, and Car Rental
Due to its status of being a British Colony for a number of years, in terms of traffic flow and traffic signs, Cyprus has adapted to the UK. The traffic flow of North Cyprus is on the left hand side, and is a safe place to drive where there is not too much traffic. Vehicle owners who enter the island are able to use their vehicles easily by driving on the left side of the road and taking out valid insurance in North Cyprus. You can find traffic signs and speed warning signs related to traffic flow upon all the motorways and side streets. In North Cyprus there is no public transport, however there are many taxis to be found. If there is somewhere you desire to go, renting a car is easily done in North Cyprus with the many car rental companies dotted around the country, or you can always travel by taxi.
Customs
No customs are applied to the personal belongings and food of tourists coming to North Cyprus. Tourists are allowed to bring 400 cigarettes of tobacco or cigars, as well as a bottle of alcohol and perfume. According to the TRNC laws, it is not appropriate to remove any artifact from the TRNC that may be deemed as an Archaeological and Historical Artifact.
Currency
The official currency in North Cyprus is the Turkish Lira (TL). There is a limitation in the amount of foreign currency that can be brought into the country. The Currencies used in the country are the British Pound, US Dollar, Euro, and Turkish Lira.
Communication
Within North Cyprus there are currently two private GSM operators. Upon entering the country, you are able to buy a local card, or you can use your internet anywhere, making calls from your own mobile phone. The country dialing code for North Cyprus is +90, with each of the city dialing codes being: Kyrenia 81; Famagusta 36; and Nicosia 22.