2007 Edition

Area

note

area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

total

130.8 sq km

Area - comparative

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Background

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 larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. Geography Dhekelia

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

34 40 N, 32 51 E

name

Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Coastline

27.5 km

Constitution

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

Country name

conventional long form

Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form

Dhekelia

Currency (code)

Cypriot pound (CYP)

Dependency status

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Economy - overview

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Environment - current issues

netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn

Exchange rates

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) Communications Dhekelia

Executive branch

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

head of government

Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence

Flag description

the flag of the UK is used Economy Dhekelia

Geographic coordinates

34 59 N, 33 45 E

Geography - note

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus People Dhekelia

Industries

none

Land boundaries

total

NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Languages

English, Greek Government Dhekelia

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Location

on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Map references

Middle East

Military - note

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Population

no indigenous personnel

note

approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Radio broadcast stations

FM 1 (located in Akrotiri)

note

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Television broadcast stations

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) Military Dhekelia