The establishment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960

The Republic of Cyprus was officially established in the early hours of August 16, 1960, following the formal end of British colonial rule. At 2:00 a.m. in Nicosia, the last British governor, Sir Hugh Foot, read a proclamation by the Queen of the United Kingdom, confirming the cessation of British sovereignty on the island as established by the Zurich-London Agreements. Archbishop Makarios III was inaugurated as the first President of the Republic, with Dr. Fazil Kucuk serving as the first Vice President. The transition process included the signing of formal documents by representatives from Greece, Turkey, and the two Cypriot communities.

By the morning of August 16, the British flag was lowered, and the Cypriot flag was raised at the Governor's Palace. Sir Hugh Foot departed the island within 24 hours of the declaration. While the independence process culminated in August, the Cypriot Council of Ministers later decided on July 11, 1963, to designate October 1 as the official Independence Day to ensure the anniversary could be celebrated with appropriate diplomatic honors. The birth of the new state occurred under the recognized status of guarantor powers: Great Britain, Greece, and Turkey.