North Cyprus Tourist Information

North Cyprus Currency

The currency used in Northern Cyprus is called the New Turkish Lira (YTL), and has been used since 1974. However you do sometimes here locals from outside the main tourist areaa still referring to the old Turkish Lira which was in millions.  This can be a shock to the system when you are at the local markets and they ask you for 5 million in fact they are are asking you for 5YTL. The difference between the TL (Turkish Lira) and the YTL is the removal of the 6 zeros (example: 1 million TL is now 1 YTL).  In the TRNC you will find that most foreign currencies are accepted.

Time in Northern Cyprus

In North Cyprus local time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In summertime the clocks change on the same day as in the UK.

Spoken Language in Northern Cyprus

Turkish is the official language of Northern Cyprus, and English is becoming increasingly more widely spoken and is now considered the country’s second language. However although you will find English widely spoken throughout the Northern Cyprus Island the level at which it is spoken can vary alot. Local people will relish in the fact if you can take the time to learn abit of Turkish so if you plan on staying or living in Northern Cyprus  it’s well worth mixing with locals to pick up the odd words or attending turkish lessons.