Cyprus flag

Cyprus is an island state in the Mediterranean Sea. Geographically it belongs to Asia and has an excellent climate, as well as developed tourism, which is the main part of the state income.

This is what the flag of Cyprus looks like:

History of the flag

Cyprus was a British colony until the 1960s, so it used the British flag. Two red lions from the coat of arms of Richard the Lionheart were depicted on the cloth.

In 1960, after the declaration of independence in Great Britain, an independent flag of Cyprus was approved. The design of the cloth belonged to an ordinary schoolteacher. His version of the layout was chosen by an independent vote.

Since then, there have been only minor changes in the appearance of the state symbols.

The painting of the entire island in copper color:

Increasing the silhouette of the island and changing the branches of the tree:

There is a draft of the new Cypriot flag. It consists of three continuous horizontal stripes of blue, red and copper. However, there is no official rush to adopt this version.

Description

The flag is a rectangular white rectangle with the silhouette of an island and two olive branches. The contours of the state were initially blank, but at the last moment the decision was made to paint over them.

Flag colours

The main color of the canvas is white, the olive branches on it are green, and the island itself is sandy or copper (different sources indicate the color differently).

The red and blue colors on the cloth are not purposefully present: they point to a specific country – Greece or Turkey. And the flag is supposed to unite these two states, not to single out one of them.

Meaning of colors and flag symbol

The symbolism is completely related to the ancient history of Cyprus.

• White is the dominant color on the canvas. It represents peace and tranquility in the country.
• The copper color speaks of the rich deposits of copper. It was found in Cyprus even before Christ. According to one version, the island got its name after the Latin name of the chemical element – Cuprum.
• The two olive branches represent the two main peoples inhabiting the island: the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. Their relationship has not always been stable, but the branches indicate acceptance of each other.

Interesting facts about the flag

• The flag of Cyprus is almost the only flag in the world that outlines the contours of the state.
• Cypriot citizens have the right to sail under the flag not only of their country, but also of Turkey or Greece. They will not have any problems after that.

General information about Cyprus

Map of Cyprus