2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
Area
total: 130.8 sq km note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area - comparative
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Coastline
27.5 km
Environment - current issues
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Geographic coordinates
34 59 N, 33 45 E
Geography - note
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
Land boundaries
total: 103 km (approximately) border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)
Location
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
Map references
Middle East
People and Society
Languages
English, Greek
Population
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK Based Contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents
Government
Capital
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri 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, functions as a basic legal document
Country name
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Dhekelia
Dependency status
a special form of UK overseas territory; 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)
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
Flag description
the flag of the UK is used
Legal system
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Economy
Currency (code)
euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound (CYP) formerly used
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.
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003)
Industries
none
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), 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 and Security
Military - note
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008