Official name.

Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti (K.K.T.C)
Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (T.R.N.C)

Central Government Type.

Republic.

What language do people speak in North Cyprus?

The language is Turkish, however English and Greek is widely spoken so you can go for a holiday here with ease, in restaurants, shops and any service industry people a lot of people speak English in a level you can comfortably communicate.

What currency is used in North Cyprus?

The national currency is YTL Yeni Turkish Lira, however British sterling is widely accepted (do expect to receive your change in YTL though), Euros also accepted in the North.

What is the time difference?

Two hours ahead of GMT.

How easy is it to get to Northern Cyprus?

It is very easy to get to North Cyprus and you have two options available: one is to fly in to Ercan in North Cyprus - currently all flights stop at Turkey for a period of 30min to 1 hour before continuing on to Ercan. Alternatively you can fly into Larnaca in the South of Cyprus, which is a direct flight, and just drive over the border. The car journey takes between an hour or an hour 30 minutes depending on traffic.

What's the all-year round climate?

North Cyprus as well as the whole island enjoys typical Mediterranean climate with long, warm and dry summers from mid-May to mid-October and mild and wet winters from December to February. The short autumn and spring periods complete the seasons of the year. Summer in Northern Cyprus is a season of hot weather, high temperatures and cloudless sky, but the sea breeze make a pleasant atmosphere in coastal areas. The average rainfall of 402 mm, however, is below Mediterranean average, conforms more to the climate pattern of the eastern Mediterranean. Although snowfall is not typical of Cyprus, it can remain on the Troodos massif in the southern part. The weather in North Cyprus provides the visitors a truly pleasant holiday all year round.

Why is the South so negative about the North?

There is a long history of political and social unrest between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots which is fair to say flared up when Britain granted the islands independence in 1960. The population was thrown in to different factions and although the two communities lived together peacefully for many centuries, differences in ethnicity and religion has escalated to a point where  this erupted in 1974 resulting in the division of the island into two halves, South Cyprus where the Greek Cypriots live and North Cyprus where the Turkish Cypriots live. The propaganda machine in the South goes into over drive to indoctrinate Greek Cypriots to believe that the war was one sided and that the Turkish Cypriots are to blame for the bloodshed that occurred back in 1974, however history would tell quite a different tale. Both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots lost their homes and loved ones in the war. Things have moved on greatly since this time and now many people on both sides of the Island want a resolution to this longstanding situation. North Cyprus is a tranquil and safe place to visit with the lowest crime rates in Europe and a community of warm hearted laid back people who make you feel at home.

What is the Political situation between North and South Cyprus?

In 1974 Turkey took over Northern Cyprus, it is now administered under 'The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) law. All Greek property in the North (approximately 17%) was nationalised by the Turkish government and obtained by compulsory acquisition in exchange for compensation. The majority of Greek owners did not accept compensation and chose to challenge the authority and actions of the Turkish Government, they are still entitled to claim their compensation. Many of the Turkish Cypriots who lost land in the South however, did not pursue claims to their land, most were compensated with land by the Turkish government in the North.

Transportation.

There are frequent bus services between the major towns during the day.

Public transport becomes less scarce after 7pm and at weekends the services are less regular.
Taxis are to be found at taxi stands only. The charges are reasonable, although there are no meters to display the fares. It is advisable to agree upon the fare with the driver before setting off.
The system of sharing a taxi with another passenger travelling to the same destination, "Dolmus" also operates widely in North Cyprus.
Renting a car in North Cyprus is easy and cheap (between UK £10 to £15 per day). Car rental services are widely available in the main towns, and petrol is cheap. A current driving licence [with your passport] is all that is needed. Traffic drives on the left, as in Britain. The speed limit in urban areas is 30 mph.