Dhekelia
Dhekelia
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 larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.
Geography
Location
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
Geographic coordinates
34 59 N, 33 45 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total: 130.8 sq km
country comparison to the world: 222 note:area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area – comparative
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 103 km (approximately)
border countries:Cyprus 103 km (approximately)
Coastline
27.5 km
Climate
temperate
Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment – current issues
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Geography – note
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
People and Society
Languages
English, Greek
Population
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: 219
Education expenditures
NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
NA
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Dhekelia
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)
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
Constitution
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Legal system
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
Executive branch
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
Judicial branch
see Akrotiri
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
National anthem
note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, “God Save the Queen” is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economy – overview
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
none
Exchange rates
note: uses the euro
Transportation
Military
Military – note
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway