Akrotiri (2006) | Bassas da India (2004) | |
Area | total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands |
total: 0.2 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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. | This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968. |
Capital | name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia
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 |
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Climate | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters | tropical |
Coastline | 56.3 km | 35.2 km |
Constitution | Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India |
Dependency status | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Disputes - international | - | claimed by Madagascar |
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. | no economic activity |
Elevation extremes | - | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m |
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 | NA |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch |
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Flag description | the flag of the UK is used | the flag of France is used |
Geographic coordinates | 34 37 N, 32 58 E | 21 30 S, 39 50 E |
Geography - note | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus | the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km |
0 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (2001) |
Languages | English, Greek | - |
Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Location | peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus | Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique |
Map references | Middle East | Africa |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit | defense is the responsibility of France |
Natural hazards | - | maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones |
Natural resources | - | none |
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 |
uninhabited (July 2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | FM 1
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) |
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Television broadcast stations | British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) | - |
Terrain | - | volcanic rock |