Mehmet Ali Talat is a Turkish Cypriot politician who served as the President of Northern Cyprus from 2005 to 2010. Talat is the leader of the social democratic Republican Turkish Party, having previously held this position between 1996 and 2005. He became prime minister in 2004, and subsequently won the presidential election held on 17 April 2005. Talat was inaugurated on 25 April 2005, succeeding retiring leader Rauf Denktaş. He lost the presidential election of 2010 and was replaced by Derviş Eroğlu as President.
The flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is based on the flag of Turkey with the colors reversed and two horizontal red stripes added at the top and bottom. The flag was drawn by Turkish Cypriot artist Emin Çizenel. It was adopted in 1984 by the TRNC, a self-declared state that is recognised only by Turkey, after its unilateral declaration of independence in 1983. The TRNC succeeded the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, also self-declared and recognized only by Turkey, which had been established in 1975 following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and had used the flag of Turkey.
Turkish Cypriots or Cypriot Turks are mostly ethnic Turks originating from Cyprus. Following the Ottoman conquest of the island in 1571, about 30,000 Turkish settlers were given land once they arrived in Cyprus. Additionally, many of the islanders converted to Islam during the early years of Ottoman rule. Nonetheless, the influx of mainly Muslim settlers to Cyprus continued intermittently until the end of the Ottoman period. Today, while Northern Cyprus is home to a significant part of the Turkish Cypriot population, the majority of Turkish Cypriots live abroad, forming the Turkish Cypriot diaspora. This diaspora came into existence after the Ottoman Empire transferred the control of the island to the British Empire, as many Turkish Cypriots emigrated primarily to Turkey and the United Kingdom for political and economic reasons. The emigration was exacerbated by the intercommunal violence in the 1950s and 1960s, as Turkish Cypriots had to live in enclaves in Cyprus.
TAK, Türk Ajansı Kıbrıs is the news agency in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus responsible for disseminating TRNC news internationally and disseminating foreign news in the TRNC.
Lefkoşa District is a district of Northern Cyprus. It is divided into two sub-districts: Lefkoşa Sub-district and Değirmenlik Sub-district. Its population is 97,293 according to the 2011 census. Its Governor is Kemal Deniz Dana.
The Embassy of Turkey to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is located in the Turkish Sector of Nicosia, just outside the walls of the Old City. It is unique in all of the foreign diplomatic missions located in Nicosia in that it is officially accredited to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), rather than the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey, a country which facilitates many of its contacts with the international community. After declaring independence from the Republic of Cyprus, Northern Cyprus' relations with the rest of the world were further complicated by a series of United Nations resolutions which declared its independence legally invalid. A 2004 UN Referendum on settling the Cyprus dispute was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots. After that, the European Union declared its intentions to assist in reducing the economic isolation of Northern Cyprus and began giving aid to the territory. However, due to pressure from Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, this aid coming from EU funds cannot be used on Greek Cypriot land and property nor on public bodies. As a result, these funds can be used only on around 20 percent of the territory under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
Gönyeli is a town in Cyprus, near the capital city Nicosia. It is de facto under the control of Northern Cyprus. Over the years the town has merged with North Nicosia, making it connurbated with the city. Its population as of 2011 is 11,671.
Prastio is a small village in Cyprus, 19 km west of Famagusta. De facto, it is under the control of Northern Cyprus. It is administered by the municipality of Sinta (İnönü).
Diorios or Dhiorios is a village in the Kyrenia District of Cyprus, 2 km west of Myrtou. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
Angolemi is a village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus, southwest of Morphou. De facto, it is administered as part of the Lefke District of Northern Cyprus.
Yenişehir is a suburb of North Nicosia. Its population was 4156 in 2006, with 2135 males and 2021 females. The first settlement to the area was made between the years of 1930 and 1945. There is usually heavy traffic in the area, and some roads are double laned, but this does not lighten the traffic. Nicosia Bus Terminal, Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia Police Headquarters, Northern Cyprus State Theatre, the old railway station of Nicosia and Şehit Hüseyin Ruso Stadium, which is home to Küçük Kaymaklı Türk S.K. are located in the suburb.
Köşklüçiftlik is a quarter of North Nicosia in Northern Cyprus. In 2011, it had a population of 2,939.
Göçmenköy is a quarter of North Nicosia in Northern Cyprus. As of 2011, it had a population of 3,003. It was founded in 1966 as a settlement for the Turkish Cypriots displaced by the intercommunal violence. The formerly rural area became heavily urbanized in the 1960s and 70s. Göçmenköy became a vibrant part of North Nicosia, and is home to the Atatürk Sports Complex, which is home to the Nicosia Atatürk Stadium, the largest stadium in Cyprus. It co-hosts an annual international festival.
Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu is a Turkish Cypriot politician. He served as a member of the Assembly of the Republic representing the Lefkoşa District between 1998 and 2018. During this time, he was a member of the National Unity Party (UBP) between 1998 and 2010, serving as the leader of the party between 2006 and 2008. He returned to the UBP in 2012 and remained its representative until the end of his tenure as an MP. He served in different ministerial positions, including a five-year tenure as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense between 1998 and 2004.
Abortion in Northern Cyprus is regulated by law. Turkish Cypriot laws and attitudes about abortion are deemed relatively liberal, although some criticism has been made.
TV, magazines, and newspapers are all operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues.
