| Coral Sea Islands (2001) | Dhekelia (2006) | |
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| Area | total:
less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
| Area - comparative | NA | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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 | 3,095 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:
Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
| Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 | none | - |
| 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:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
- |
| Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn |
| Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 34 59 N, 33 45 E |
| Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
| Industries | - | none |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | - |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed |
| Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) |
- |
| Languages | - | English, Greek |
| Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
| Map references | Oceania | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
- |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
| Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | - |
| Natural resources | NEGL | - |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (July 2001 est.) |
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 | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | - |
| Waterways | none | - |