Cyprus: Flag and Facts
The flag of Cyprus is white, with a copper-colored outline of the island in the center above two crossed green olive branches.
- Official name
- Republic of Cyprus
- Capital
- Nicosia
- Region
- Southern Europe
- Population
- 1.3 million (2025)
- Languages
- Greek, Turkish
- Currency
- Euro
- Area
- 9,251 km² (3,572 sq mi)
- People
- Cypriot
- Calling code
- +357
- Highest point
- Mount Olympus 1,951 m
- Independence
- 16 August 1960 (from the UK)
- National symbols
- Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove
- Borders
- No land borders
About Cyprus
Few national flags show a map. The olive branches express hope for peace between Greek and Turkish communities, a hope tied to a long dispute. Violence broke out in Nicosia in December 1963, and UN peacekeepers arrived the following year, in 1964.
Britain ruled the island until independence in 1960. In 1974 Turkey intervened militarily after a Greek-backed attempt to overthrow the president, and its forces soon held over a third of the island. The north declared itself a separate republic in 1983, but only Turkey recognizes it. A UN reunification plan failed in 2004. Summers are hot and dry, winters cool, and Mount Olympus rises to 1,951 meters in the ranges that frame a central plain.
Did you know?
- The Cypriot mouflon, a wild sheep, is a national symbol along with the white dove.
- Cyprus is about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut.
- Independence Day falls on 1 October, even though independence came on 16 August 1960.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Cyprus
What languages are spoken in Cyprus?
Greek and Turkish are the official languages.
What currency does Cyprus use?
Cyprus uses the euro.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.