akrotiri

Akrotiri

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 southernmost and smallest of these is the
                Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to
                as the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Geography

     Location:  peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

    Geographic  34 37 N, 32 58 E
  coordinates:

           Map  Middle East
   references:

         Area:  total: 123 sq km
                note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

        Area -  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
  comparative:

          Land  total: 47.4 km
   boundaries:  border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

    Coastline:  56.3 km

      Climate:  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
                winters

 Environment -  shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place
       current  for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony
       issues:  of griffon vultures is on the base

   Geography -  British extraterritorial rights also extended to
         note:  several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People

   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

Government

 Country name:  conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
                conventional short form: Akrotiri

    Dependency  overseas territory of UK; administered by an
       status:  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  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
       branch:  1952)
                head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal
                Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to
                the British Ministry of Defence
                elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the
                administrator is appointed by the monarch

    Diplomatic  none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
    in the US:

    Diplomatic  none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
  from the US:

          Flag  the flag of the UK is used
  description:

Economy

     Economy -  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
     overview:  the military and their families located in Akrotiri.
                All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Communications

         Radio  FM 1
     broadcast  note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS)
     stations:  provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri,
                Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

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


Military

    Military -  Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British
         note:  Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit