Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey, a country which facilitates many of its contacts with the international community. After it was occupied by Turkey, 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 29% of people on the island of Cyprus (those under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus).

There is an embargo against the entity in many areas, decisively affecting its attempts at international contacts and representation.

International recognition

Turkey is the only country which recognises Northern Cyprus.

Rumours that Pakistan and Bangladesh briefly recognised Northern Cyprus right after its declaration of independence have persisted. At the time, Bangladesh denied that it recognised Northern Cyprus. However, a 2017 study of British diplomatic cables concluded that though Pakistan never recognised Northern Cyprus, Bangladesh seemingly extended recognition in 1983 "but quickly regretted the decision and so decided to pretend that it had not." Pakistan and Bangladesh were reportedly persuaded to withhold recognition under the threat that they would risk losing US foreign aid.

In 2005, Yahya Jammeh, then President of the Gambia, said that his country was ready to recognise the independence of Northern Cyprus. The Cypriot government protested and The Gambia did not recognise the TRNC.

The Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic (an exclave of Azerbaijan) had issued a resolution in the mid-1990s recognising the TRNC's independence, but Azerbaijan itself has yet refrained to officially support this decision due to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Azerbaijan is sympathetic to the TRNC, but the Republic of Cyprus could recognise Nagorno-Karabakh if Azerbaijan officially recognised the TRNC. High-level contacts between Azerbaijan and Northern Cyprus increased to the point that Faiz Sucuoğlu, TRNC's Prime Minister expressed his hope in 2022 that Azerbaijan would recognise his country. No recognition has yet been forthcoming.

TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu made a call to the members of OIC on 23 September 2022, at a coordination meeting of the Organisation's ministers of foreign affairs, at New York, to recognise his country, only a couple of days after a similar call by the President of Turkey to the international community at the 77th UNGA.

Northern Cyprus is recognised by the Commonwealth of Nations as a part of the Republic of Cyprus, not as an independent country.

In July 2024, at the summit of the Organization of Turkic States the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev congratulated the President of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar for the 50 years since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and mentioned that the participation in the Turkic summit is a crucial step towards the recognition of Northern Cyprus.

In September 2026, at the 81st UNGA, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on the international community to recognize Northern Cyprus and establish political, diplomatic and economic relations with it. He also called for recognition of the "sovereign equality and equal international status" of Turkish Cypriots. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides responded in his own UNGA address. Referring to Erdoğan's invocation of international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, occupation and refugees, Christodoulides said that, regarding Cyprus, Turkey was doing "exactly the opposite" and described this as "hypocrisy of the highest form." Christodoulides said that if Erdoğan wanted to invoke the UN Charter, he should first apply it, and noted that the UN-established settlement framework remains a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality.

States that recognise Northern Cyprus CountryDate of recognitionDiplomatic relationsRelevant membership, further details1YesNorthern Cyprus–Turkey relations

Diplomatic representations

Since the establishment of the TRNC in 1983, only Turkey maintains a resident embassy in Northern Cyprus, and opened a Consulate General in Famagusta in mid January 2023. The TRNC has an embassy in Ankara and consulates in several major cities of Turkey.

In various other countries, the TRNC has representative offices, some of which are unofficial. Turkey represents the TRNC's interests in countries without such offices. In North Nicosia (the Turkish Cypriot-administered northern half), both the British High Commissioner to Cyprus and the United States Ambassador to Cyprus have their formal residences, though since these residences had been in use since before 1963, it is not indicative of formal recognition of the TRNC by the United Kingdom or United States. In the same situation are the representative offices maintained by Australia, France, Germany, South Korea.

In May 2015, the EU Infopoint office that aims to bring the Turkish Cypriots closer to the EU, has been inaugurated in North Nicosia.

Honorary Representatives are also appointed by the TRNC in various other cities to represent the TRNC and to assist the primary TRNC Representative Offices.

United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have representation offices in Northern Nicosia. As well, Northern Cyprus has a number of representations in other countries with various status.

Foreign minister

The current Foreign Minister is Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu. He is holding this position for the fourth time, since 1983.

Bilateral relations

Azerbaijan

On 9 August 2022, Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan met with TRNC President Ersin Tatar in Konya and regarded Northern Cyprus officially as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". Ersin Tatar also visited Azerbaijan on 13-14 October 2023 and met with Aliyev again. In June 2024, Aliyev met with Tatar on the sidelines of the Organization of Turkish States (OTS) summit in Shusha, Azerbaijan, but did not extend official recognition. On 3 July 2025, Tatar visited Azerbaijan for the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and met with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

Burkina Faso On 27 September 2024, Foreign minister of Northern Cyprus, Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu and Foreign minister of Burkina Faso, Karamako Jean-Marie Traoré, met during margins of the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.Kibris Postasi 27 Sep 2024 Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu informed his Burkina Faso counterpart about the developments in Cyprus.

Republic of Cyprus

After the Republic of Cyprus became a member of the European Union, the southern part of the island became part of the Customs Union of the EU. The Northern part of the island is excluded from the Customs Union. In spite of that, the Green Line regulations are intended to ease trade relations between Northern Cyprus and the EU.

The "identity cards" issued by the State of Northern Cyprus is a valid document accepted by Republic of Cyprus for border crossings between the north and the south.

Equatorial Guinea

In 2011 and 2012, the then President of Northern Cyprus Derviş Eroğlu and President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo held meetings in New York, US.Kibris Postasi 21 Sep 2011 President Dervis Eroglu met with the president of Equatorial GuineaKibris Time 25 Sep 2012 Eroglu's New York meetings are continuing.

France

In 2023, the president of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, strongly protested France's naval base in the southern part of the island of Cyprus which Northern Cyprus considers illegal."...This includes new French military bases being established. This is an extremely concerning development as it is a clear violation of the 1960 agreements between Cyprus, Turkey, the UK and Greece."

On 10 December, 2025, The Court of Aix-En-Provence rejected the Republic of Cyprus' extradition request of a Turkish Cypriot national with the reasoning that the European law does not apply in Northern Cyprus, and the courts of the Republic of Cyprus are not in a position to enforce laws in Northern Cyprus. On 18 December 2025, The French Public Prosecutor's Office rejected the Republic of Cyprus' appeal. On 21.01.2026, France's Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) rejected the Republic of Cyprus' appeal.

On 28 April 2026, TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel condemned plans to deploy French soldiers to southern Cyprus, calling the move "extremely dangerous, provocative and unacceptable" and warning it could severely damage the island's peace and stability.

The Gambia

In 2022, the President of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, received the Vice President of The Gambia, Badara Alieu Joof, who invited President Tatar to The Gambia.Presidency of Northern Cyprus 30.11.2022 President Ersin Tatar receives Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia Badara Alieu Joof, who invites President Tatar to The Gambia: "Cooperation between the two countries should be developed in the fields of international relations, tourism and culture as well as education."

Germany

Although Germany does not maintain official relations with Northern Cyprus, it has wide-ranging contact with representatives of the Turkish Cypriots.

Greece

In 2014, the-then Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Özersay and his delegation was received by the Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Anastasios Mitsialis.Kibris Postasi 28.02.2014 Is the psychological wall down?

Guinea

In 2008, the minister of Economy, Finance and Planning of Guinea, Ousmane Doré, visited Northern Cyprus and met with Turgay Avcı, the then minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Cyprus. Dore, the minister of Economy of Guinea, is in Northern Cyprus to meet with Turgay Avci, the minister of Foreign Affairs.Turk Ajansi Kibris The minister of Economy of Guinea is in Northern Cyprus.

Kosovo

On 18 February 2008, the President of the TRNC, Mehmet Ali Talat, congratulated the people of Kosovo on their new-found independence, in opposition to the Republic of Cyprus, which has not recognised Kosovo as an independent state. However, presidential spokesman Hasan Ercakica stated that the TRNC was not preparing to officially recognise Kosovo. In contrast, the Republic of Cyprus has rejected Kosovo's declaration of independence and, given the ICJ ruling that Kosovo's declaration of independence was not illegal, stating that Kosovo and Northern Cyprus were not analogous situations.

Kyrgyzstan

In 2008 Kyrgyzstan earthquake, Northern Cyprus helped Kyrgyzstan and granted tents, blankets, tons of food, construction materials (cement, covering slate, timber and bricks), power generators, wood stoves, and warm clothes.International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) Operation Update In 2016, a common Turkish Cypriot–Kyrgyz business cooperation forum was held in Kyrgyzstan.MFA, TRNC Cyprus Turkish – Kyrgyz Business Cooperation Forum

Libya

On 30 October 2011, Libya and Northern Cyprus signed the Cooperation on Health Services Protocol. The protocol included to reserve 250 beds at the Near East University hospital in North Nicosia for the treatment of injured Libyans.turizmhaberleri 03 November 2011 Health Services Agreement was signed between Northern Cyprus and LibyaNTV 31 October 2011 Libya de facto recognised Northern Cyprus

Malaysia

On 5 August 2023, Malaysia allowed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to open a trade office in Malaysia.

Pakistan