Northern Cyprus or North Cyprus (Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs), and known officially as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) (Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, KKTC) [4], is a de facto independent republic[5][6][7] located in the north of Cyprus. Northern Cyprus declared its independence in 1983, nine years after a Greek Cypriot coup attempting to annex the island to Greece triggered an invasion by Turkey. It has received diplomatic recognition only from Turkey, on which it has become dependent for economic, political and military support. The rest of the international community, including the United Nations and European Union, recognises the de jure sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the whole island.

The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus. 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.[8] 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.

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula (Cape Apostolos Andreas) in the northeast, westward to Morphou Bay and Cape Kormakitis (the Kokkina/Erenköy exclave marks the westernmost extent of the area), and southward to the village of Louroujina/Akıncılar. The buffer zone stretching between the two areas is under the control of the United Nations.