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Cyprus flag, Source: Pixabay

Happy Independence Day Cyprus!

Happy Independence Day Cyprus!

After many years of struggle, Cyprus won its independence from the UK in 1960

On 1 October each year, Cyprus celebrates its independence from British rule. The island was a colony of Great Britain between 1878 and 1960.

Previously, over the course of several centuries, Cyprus had been ruled by the Ottoman, Byzantine, Greek, Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian and Phoenician empires.

Following a nearly 5-year long guerilla war, Sir Hugh Foot, the British governor of the island at the time, read a British proclamation declaring the independence of Cyprus. Archbishop Marakios III, leader of the Greek community was overthrown in a coup organized by the Greek government, meanwhile, the Turkish army invaded the northern part of Cyprus.

The country is de facto partitioned into two main parts: The area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, comprising about 59% of the island’s area, and the Turkish-occupied area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, covering about 37% of the island’s landmass and recognized only by Turkey.

The people of Cyprus celebrate their Independence Day with festivals at schools and communities and with a big military parade, which takes place in the capital of Nicosia. 

Cyprus' flag has the map of its island in yellow (the colour of copper, which Cyprus was famous for in ancient times and took its name from - couprum (copper in latin) Òkipros (Cyprus in Greek). There are also two lops of an olive tree, which symbolize peace.

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