GENERAL INFORMATION
Northern Cyprus covers 3,515 sq km of the total 9,252 sq km of the island of Cyprus. The island has been divided into the Turkish part on the north and Greek part on the south since 1974. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sardinia and Sicily and it situated between three continents, lying approximately 65 km from the coast of Turkey.
The predominant range of mountains, the Kyrenia Mountains (Five Finger Mountains) runs along an area of 260 sq km with the highest peak, Mount Selvili, at an altitude of 1,023 m. The most plains can be found between the Kyrenia Mountains and Trodos Mountains on the South. These plains are called Mesaoria plains and many crops, including wheat, oats and barely are grown there. The coastline of Northern Cyprus is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The largest bays are Guzelyurt and Famagusta and the main peninsulas are Zafer, Korucam and Kasa.
The official currency of Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkish lira (TL). The currency includes coins of the following value 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 Kuruş and 1 Turkish Lira together with banknotes of the following values 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish Lira. Exchange rates fluctuate frequently. The current exchange rates for TL (as of September 2018) are as follows: 1€ = 7.4 lira, 1$ = 6.3 lira, 1£ = 8.3 lira. Great British Pounds, US Dollars, Euros and many other currencies are also widely accepted and most restaurants and hotels accept all major credit cards.
The official language of Northern Cyprus is Turkish but most Cypriots speak English as the second language. The British influence strongly remains as a legacy from the time when Cyprus was a British colony. Driving is still on the left, English is widely spoken and the electricity plugs and voltages are the same as in Britain.
Northern Cyprus is in the time zone of Eastern European Time (UTC+2) - Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3).
The population of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is around 500,000 people. The Turkish Cypriot people are noted for the friendliness and hospitality and you can be sure to feel the warmest of welcomes on your arrival in the North.
North Cyprus has very sunny, warm and dry summers with, on average, 300 days of sunshine per year, and mild winters with an occasional rainfall. The hottest month is August when temperatures range from 25°C to 40°C. The coldest months are January and February when the temperature drops to about 10°C. Snowfall may occur on the Kyrenia Mountain Range but very rarely in other parts of the island. Summer and winter are followed by a short, pleasant autumn and spring.