2022 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2022 (factbook.json @ 61dadec0c9c9)
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
- note
- note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
- total
- 131 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
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
- Cyprus 108 km
- total
- 108 km
Location
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
Map references
Middle East
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- NA
- 15-24 years
- NA
- 25-54 years
- NA
- 55-64 years
- NA
- 65 years and over
- NA
Birth rate
NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Current health expenditure
NA
Death rate
NA
Dependency ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- NA
- potential support ratio
- NA
- total dependency ratio
- NA
- youth dependency ratio
- NA
Drinking water source
- improved: rural
- rural: NA
- improved: total
- total: NA
- improved: urban
- urban: NA
- unimproved: rural
- rural: NA
- unimproved: total
- total: NA
- unimproved: urban
- urban: NA
Education expenditures
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
Languages
- Languages
- English, Greek
- major-language sample(s)
- Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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
Government
Capital
- daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- 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
- geographic coordinates
- 34 40 N, 32 51 E
- name
- Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
- time difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Constitution
- history
- 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
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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Executive branch
- chief of state
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)
- elections/appointments
- the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense
- head of government
- Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Peter J.M. SQUIRES (since 1 September 2022); note - the administrator reports to the British Ministry of Defense and is also Commander, British Forces Cyprus (BFC); the chief officer, an appointed civilian, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the civil government of the Sovereign Base Areas
Flag description
the flag of the UK is used
Judicial branch
- highest court(s)
- 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 King" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic 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
Communications
Broadcast media
British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base
Military and Security
Military - note
defense of Dhekelia (aka Eastern Sovereign Base Area) is the responsibility of the UK; includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway
Environment
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn