Cyprus’s national flag has a white field with a copper-coloured map of the island above two crossed olive branches. It was created when the Republic of Cyprus became independent in 1960.
What does the Cyprus flag look like?
The centre of the white flag shows the outline of Cyprus in a copper shade. Beneath it are two crossed green olive branches.
What do the symbols mean?
The Presidency of Cyprus explains that copper has a double connection with the island: Cyprus was an important ancient source of copper, and the island’s name is historically associated with the metal. The olive branches are symbols of peace, while the white field reinforces the flag’s deliberately neutral character.
Why is the flag unusual?
The design avoids the blue and red most closely associated with Greece and Türkiye. This was intentional at independence, when the new republic required state symbols that would not simply reproduce the national colors or emblems of either larger neighbouring state.
Cyprus flag facts
- Adopted: 1960
- Field: white
- Central symbol: copper-coloured map of Cyprus
- Additional symbol: two olive branches
Source
Primary reference: Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus — State Symbols.
