Turkey has occupied the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus for 52 years.

Omissions

• The exact date of the Turkish invasion was July 20, 1974. As of April 28, 2026, the occupation has lasted 51 years and approximately 9 months. The figure of 52 years involves slight rounding.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Parliament (Written Question)Ever since its illegal military invasion in 1974, Türkiye has been occupying more than 36% of the territory of Cyprus, in breach of every concept of law.
• SecondaryCyprus Embassy HelsinkiThe Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on July 20, 1974.
• SecondaryEuropean People's Party (EPP)Cyprus, an EU Member State, has remained under continued Turkish occupation for over 50 years.