Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002) | Dhekelia (2006) | |
Area | total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
Area - comparative | about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | 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. |
Capital | - | name: Episkopi Cantonment; 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 |
Climate | tropical | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
Coastline | 74.1 km | 27.5 km |
Constitution | - | Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
- |
Environment - current issues | NA | netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn |
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 |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | the flag of the UK is used |
Geographic coordinates | 12 14 S, 123 05 E | 34 59 N, 33 45 E |
Geography - note | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
Industries | - | none |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.) |
- |
Languages | - | English, Greek |
Legal system | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
Location | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force | includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
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: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
no indigenous personnel
note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | FM 1 (located in Akrotiri)
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | - | British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) |
Terrain | low with sand and coral | - |
Waterways | none | - |