The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (RTNC) is a de Facto state the northern third of the island of Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, becoming independent from Cyprus on November 15, 1983. Turkey is the only country that explicitly recognises it; all other governments and the United Nations (UN) recognise the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island. In 2004, the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council has conceded the status of observer to the Turkish-Cypriot representatives, which was followed by the acceptance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an observing country in the OCE in 2012.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a secular and parliamentary Republic based on the 1985 constitution, very similar to Turkey’s. The Head of State is elected directly, for a period of five years. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a member of the Unrecognised United Nations (UUN) and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.