Cyprus’s national flag shows a yellow map of the island above two olive branches.
The flag was adopted on August 16, 1960, shortly after Cyprus became independent from British rule. The map is copper-yellow, a color associated with the island’s name and its historic copper resources. Beneath it are two green olive branches, a traditional symbol of peace between the island’s Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Cyprus is unusual because its national flag depicts the country’s territory. Kosovo is another widely recognized example of a flag featuring a map, although its design uses a blue field with a gold map and stars. Cyprus’s flag is also notable for avoiding red and blue, colors strongly associated with the flags of Greece and Turkey.
The map represents the whole island, including the northern area administered by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Republic of Cyprus claims sovereignty over the entire island.