Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2008) | Dhekelia (2004) | |
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 sovreignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. |
Capital | - | Episkopi; located in Akrotiri |
Climate | tropical | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
Coastline | 74.1 km | - |
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 Attorney-General's Department | 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) |
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 | 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 Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) 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 |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | - |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005) |
- |
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, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
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 | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force | includes Dheklia 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 water 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 |
Terrain | low with sand and coral | - |