British Cyprus

Crown Colony of Cyprus
Κύπρος (Greek)
*Kıbrıs* (Turkish)
Crown Colony of Cyprus Κύπρος (Greek); Kıbrıs (Turkish)
1914–1960
	Flag; (1922–1960) Badge; (1905–1960)
	Anthem: "God Save the Queen"; (1952–1960); "God Save the King"; (1914–1952);
	Cyprus in the 1930s, with Cyprus in dark green and the United Kingdom in dark grey
Status	British protectorate (1878–1914); British military occupation; (1914–1925); British Crown colony (1925–1960);
Capital	Nicosia
Official languages	English
Common languages	Greek • Turkish
Religion	Greek Orthodox (Church of Cyprus); Anglican Church of Cyprus; Sunni and Shia Islam (Alevism, Naqshbandiyya);
Monarch
• 1910–1936 (first)	George V
• 1952–1960 (last)	Elizabeth II
Governor
• 1878–1879 (first)	Sir Garnet Wolseley
• 1957–1960 (last)	Sir Hugh Foot
Legislature	Legislative Council
History
• Cyprus Convention	4 June 1878
• Protectorate established	12 July 1914
• British annexation	5 November 1914
• Treaty of Lausanne	24 July 1923
• Crown colony of Cyprus	1 May 1925
• Enosis referendum	15 January 1950
• Cyprus Emergency	1 April 1955
• London & Zürich Agreements	19 February 1959
• Independence	16 August 1960
Area
1924	9,272 km2 (3,580 sq mi)
Population
• 1924	310,709
• 1955	529,972
• 1960	572,930
Currency	Ottoman lira (1878–79); Cypriot pound (from 1879);
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Ottoman Cyprus
Cyprus
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Today part of	Cyprus (De Jure); Northern Cyprus (De Facto); Akrotiri and Dhekelia

British Cyprus (Greek: Βρετανική Κύπρος, romanised: Bretanikí Kípros; Turkish: Britanya Kıbrısı) was the island of Cyprus under the dominion of the British Empire, administered sequentially from 1878 to 1914 as a British protectorate, from 1914 to 1925 as an annexed military occupation zone, and from 1925 to 1960 as a Crown colony. Following the London and Zürich Agreements of 19 February 1959, Cyprus became an independent republic on 16 August 1960.