Page last updated on January 7, 2014
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.
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
total: 130.8 sq km
country comparison to the world: 223
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
total: 103 km (approximately)
border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 service and UK based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents
country comparison to the world: 222
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Dhekelia
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
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
presented 3 August 1960, effective 16 August 1960; amended 1966 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, serves as a basic legal document) (2013)
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Air Vice Marshall Graham STACEY (since 4 November 2010); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; the administrator appointed by the monarch
highest court(s): Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointment and tenure NA
subordinate courts: Resident Judges' Court; Courts Martial
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 Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base (2009)
