Akrotiri (2007) | Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2007) | |
Area | total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands |
total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about eight times 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. | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. |
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 | 74.1 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: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
Dependency status | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | - | Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to these islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches |
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 3 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 |
Exchange rates | Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) | - |
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 Defense 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 Australia is used |
Geographic coordinates | 34 37 N, 32 58 E | 12 14 S, 123 05 E |
Geography - note | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km |
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 grass and sand) (2005) |
Languages | English, Greek | - |
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 | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply |
Location | peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island |
Map references | Middle East | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Military - note | Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force |
Natural hazards | - | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards |
Natural resources | - | fish |
People - note | - | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem |
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 |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) | - |
Terrain | - | low with sand and coral |