Akrotiri

§1. 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.

§2. Akrotiri Geography

Location:
  peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:
  34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:
  Middle_East

Area:
  total: 123 kmē
  note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

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

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

Coastline:
  56.3 km

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

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

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

§3. Akrotiri 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

§4. Akrotiri Government

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

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the
  Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:
  Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Thomas Clayton PEARSON
    (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed
    by the monarch

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

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the UK is used

§5. Akrotiri Economy

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

§6. Akrotiri Military

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


<Factbook 2006>
