Flag of Northern Cyprus

What the flag looks like

A white field with a red crescent and star in the center, between a thin red horizontal stripe near the top and another near the bottom.

What it means

The flag reverses the colors of Turkey's flag; there is no official meaning, but the crescent and star are usually read as Turkish identity and the two stripes as Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

How to remember it

Northern Cyprus turns Turkey's flag inside out: a red crescent and star on white, held between two thin red stripes.

Fun facts

• An enormous version of the flag is laid out on the side of the Kyrenia Mountains, clearly visible from the southern half of Nicosia.
• The flag was adopted in 1984, the year after the territory declared independence; before that the flag of Turkey was used.

Northern Cyprus at a glance

Recognized by

Turkey only

Claimed by

Cyprus

Capital

North Nicosia

Region

Southern Europe

Area

3,355 km²

Languages

Turkish

Currency

Turkish lira (₺)

Flag adopted

1984

Flags often confused with Northern Cyprus

• Turkey: Northern Cyprus and Turkey both show a crescent and star. Turkey is a white crescent and star on red; Northern Cyprus reverses it to red on white and adds two thin red stripes.
• Tunisia: Northern Cyprus and Tunisia both show a red crescent and star on white. Tunisia's sit in a white disc on a red field; Northern Cyprus is white all over with two thin red stripes.