Cyprus State Archives

Overview

The Cyprus State Archives (Κυπριακά Κρατικά Αρχεία) are the national archives of the Republic of Cyprus, operating under the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and based in Nicosia. The State Archivist directs the institution through two divisions: Records Administration and Records Services.

History

The first law establishing a Public Archive was enacted in 1972, but the archive did not begin operating until 1978, its launch delayed by the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Originally established as the Cyprus Public Record Office under the Public Record Law, it was renamed the State Archives in 1991. Its earliest holdings date from the British colonial period (1878-1960), including the Governors' Archives and Secretariat Archives.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

The State Archives store an estimated 4,453 linear kilometers of shelving of records, encompassing government records both before and after Cyprus's 1960 independence. Departments and public bodies subject to the State Archives Law transfer permanently valuable records to the Archives for official use and public research.

Access and Usage

Members of the public may consult records in the reading room, and a Call Centre allows the public to contact State Archives officers directly for information. Researchers are advised to inquire in advance about the availability, cataloguing, and language of specific document collections.