The buckling problem of angle-ply laminated long hollow cylinders under axial compression is investigated on the basis ef 3D elasticity considerations. The study is based on a recursive and successive approximation method and the introduction of a periodic complex displacement field. By this approach, the composite cylinders may be composed of a number of anisotropic layers, each of which may have different material properties, thicknesses, and laminate profile. The eigenvalue problem, from which the buckling load is found, always has a dimension of 3 x 3, regardless of the number of the layers. The buckling of either symmetric or antisymmetric angle-ply laminated cylinders under axial compression is investigated through a parametric study. The results are presented in graphic form for cylinders having various thicknesses and layups.