By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.
Location
peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Geographic coordinates
34 37 N, 32 58 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
total
123 sq km
note
includes a salt lake and wetlands
Area - comparative
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total
47.4 km
border countries
Cyprus 47.4 km
Coastline
56.3 km
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues
shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Geography - note
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus
Population
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there
Languages
English, Greek
Country name
conventional long form
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form
Akrotiri
Dependency status
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital
name
Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia
geographic coordinates
34 40 N, 32 51 E
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960
Legal system
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive branch
chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government
Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description
the flag of the UK is used
Economy - overview
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Currency (code)
Cypriot pound (CYP)
Exchange rates
Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Television broadcast stations
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Military - note
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
Sorry, No data available for this section.
Military - note
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
