2018 Edition

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.

Area

note

area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

total

130.8 sq km

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; several small Cypriot enclaves exist within the Sovereign Base Area (SBA); of the SBA land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Land Boundaries

border countries (1)

Cyprus 108 km

total

108 km

Location

Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Map References

Middle East

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Languages

English, Greek

Population

approximately 15,500 on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 9,700 Cypriots and 5,800 Service and UK-based contract personnel and dependents

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 (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri

note

etymology: "Episkopi" means "episcopal" in Greek and stems from the fact that the site previously served as the bishop's seat of an Orthodox diocese

time difference

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

Constitution

presented 3 August 1960, effective 16 August 1960 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, serves as a basic legal document); amended 1966 (2016)

Country Name

conventional long form

none

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

note

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

note

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive Branch

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense

head of government

Administrator Major General James ILLINGWORTH (since 14 March 2017); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense

Flag Description

the flag of the UK is used

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales)

judge selection and term of office

see entry for United Kingdom

subordinate courts

Resident Judges' Court; military courts

Legal System

laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus; note - the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters

National Anthem

note

as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

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

note

uses the euro

Industries

none

Broadcast Media

British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base (2009)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK; includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway