Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
| Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Capital | North Nicosia |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Language | Turkish (official) |
| President | Tufan Erhürman |
| Prime minister | Ünal Üstel |
| Area | 3,355 km2 (1,295 sq mi) |
| Population | 383,000 |
| GDP | $4.234 billion |
| Currency | Turkish lira |
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a nation whose territory is disputed, consisting of the area of northern Cyprus occupied by Turkish forces since their invasion of the island of Cyprus in 1974. It is recognized as a sovereign state by Turkey but by no other nations. It is divided by a narrow strip of territory controlled by United Nations forces from the parts of the Republic of Cyprus controlled by the central government. The capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Nicosia. Other major settlements include Famagusta and Keryneia (Kyrenia).
UN peacekeeping forces have maintained a buffer zone between the two sides. Except for occasional demonstrations or infrequent incidents between soldiers in the buffer zone, the island was free of violent conflict from 1974 until August 1996, when violent clashes led to the death of two demonstrators and escalated tension. The situation has been quiet since 1996. The buffer zone divides the city of Nicosia into Nicosia and North Nicosia[1].
