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 smaller of the two is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.
Geography
Location
Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Geographic coordinates
34 37 N, 32 58 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
total
123 sq km
Area - comparative
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total
48 km
border countries
Cyprus 48 km
Coastline
56.3 km
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Geography - note
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
People and Society
Population
(2020) approximately 18,195 on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 11,000 Cypriots and 7,195 Service and UK-based contract personnel and dependents
Languages
Languages
English, Greek
major-language sample(s)
<br>Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Age structure
0-14 years
NA
15-64 years
NA
65 years and over
NA
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
NA
youth dependency ratio
NA
elderly dependency ratio
NA
potential support ratio
NA
Birth rate
NA
Death rate
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Drinking water source
improved: urban
urban: NA
improved: rural
rural: NA
improved: total
total: NA
unimproved: urban
urban: NA
unimproved: rural
rural: NA
unimproved: total
total: NA
Current health expenditure
NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Government
Country name
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Akrotiri
etymology
named for the village that lies within the Western Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus
Dependency status
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital
name
Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and 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
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
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)
amendments
amended 1966
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
Executive branch
chief of state
King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)
head of government
Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Peter J.M. SQUIRES (since 1 September 2022); note - 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
elections/appointments
the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense
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; Courts Martial
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description
the flag of the UK is used
National anthem
<p><strong>note:</strong> as a UK area of special sovereignty, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)</p>
Economy
Exchange rates
<p><strong>note:</strong> uses the euro</p>
Communications
Broadcast media
British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
Transportation
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK; Akrotiri (aka the Western Sovereign Base Area) has a full Royal Air Force base, headquarters for British Forces Cyprus, and the Episkopi Cantonment
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
NA