Historical eventFebruary 191959
Cyprus
The United Kingdom grants Cyprus independence, which is formally proclaimed on August 16, 1960.
In context
- When
- Thursday, February 19 195967 years ago
- Category
- Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Era
- 20th century · 1950s
- Recorded from
- Wikipedia “On this day” feed
At a glance
Dates: From 1960-08-16.
What happened
History Main article: History of Cyprus For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Cypriot history . Archaeological site of Khirokitia with early remains of human habitation during the Aceramic Neolithic period (reconstruction) Prehistoric period Main article: Prehistoric Cyprus Hunter-gatherers first arrived on Cyprus around 13–12,000 years ago (11,000 to 10,000 BC), based on dating of sites like Aetokremnos on the south coast and the inland site of Vretsia Roudias. [ 1 ]
Cyprus, officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, located off the coast of the Levant mainland in West Asia. The island of Cyprus, which is the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean, is divided along the United Nations Buffer Zone between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Turkey.
February 19 through the years
Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.
- 1959Cyprus
- 1989Flying Tiger Line Flight 066
- 2002NASA
- 2003Ilyushin Il-76
- 2006Methane
- 2011Belitung shipwreck
- 2012Mexican drug war
- 2012Apodaca prison riot
- 2020Hanau shootings
- 2021Killing of Mya Thwe Thwe Khine
- 2026Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Also in 1959
- September 13Luna 2The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 (model pictured) struck the Moon, the first spacecraft to reach another celestial body.
- September 15Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev becomes the first Soviet leader to visit the United States.
- June 14Disneyland MonorailDisneyland Monorail System, the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere, opens to the public in Anaheim, California.
- August 17Miles DavisAmerican musician Miles Davis released Kind of Blue, which became one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed jazz recordings o…
- November 21Disc jockeyAmerican disc jockey Alan Freed (pictured), who popularized the term rock and roll, was fired from WABC-AM for his role in the payola sca…
- November 16The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music, a musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein based on The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, opened on Broadway at the Lunt-F…
- November 16National Airlines Flight 967National Airlines Flight 967 explodes in mid-air over the Gulf of Mexico, killing all 42 aboard.
- March 181959 Tibetan uprisingTibetan uprising: After the 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge at Sera Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet, Chinese forces bombarded the monastery, infl…
Sources
- Wikipedia article (text, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 for adapted text · how we source this
Cite this page
“Cyprus”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/cyprus-1959-february-19, accessed October 24, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about this entry
When did Cyprus happen?
February 19 1959 — 67 years ago, on a Thursday.
Where does this text come from?
Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.
How do I cite this page?
Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.
One entry a day, by email
The standout entry each morning. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.