Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
Dhekelia
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131 sq km
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
🧭 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
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
34 59 N, 33 45 E
Middle East
131 sq km
About three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
108 km
Cyprus 108 km
27.5 km
Temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
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
👥 People and Society⬆️ Top
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
English, Greek
Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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🌿 Environment⬆️ Top
Netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
🏛️ Government⬆️ Top
None
Dhekelia
A special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
34 40 N, 32 51 E
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
"Episkopi" means "episcopal" in Greek and stems from the fact that the site previously served as the bishop's seat of an Orthodox diocese
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
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
King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)
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
The monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense
Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales)
See entry for United Kingdom
Resident Judges' Court; military courts
None (overseas territory of the UK)
None (overseas territory of the UK)
The flag of the UK is used
Note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
💹 Economy⬆️ Top
None
Note: uses the euro
📡 Communications⬆️ Top
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⬆️ Top
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
Source: Factbook JSON archive.