{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "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": { "Location": { "text": "Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "34 59 N, 33 45 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Middle East" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "131 sq km" }, "note": "

note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

" }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "108 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Cyprus 108 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "27.5 km" }, "Climate": { "text": "temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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": { "Population": { "text": "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" }, "Languages": { "text": "English, Greek" }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "NA" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "none" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Dhekelia" } }, "Dependency status": { "text": "a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "34 40 N, 32 51 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "daylight saving time": { "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": "

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": { "text": "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" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "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": { "text": "Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Administrator Major General Robert J. THOMSON (since 25 September 2019); note - administrator reports to the British Ministry of Defense; the chief officer is responsible for the day-to-day running of the civil government of the Sovereign Bases" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { "text": "Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "see entry for United Kingdom" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "Resident Judges' Court; military courts" } }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)" }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)" }, "Flag description": { "text": "the flag of the UK is used" }, "National anthem": { "text": "

note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, \"God Save the Queen\" is official (see United Kingdom)

" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported." }, "Industries": { "text": "none" }, "Exchange rates": { "text": "

note: uses the euro

" } }, "Communications": { "Broadcast media": { "text": "British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base" } }, "Transportation": { }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of the UK; includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway" } } }