Dhekelia (2005) | French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Airports | - | none |
Area | total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
total:
7,781 sq km land: 7,781 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
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 in total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. |
Capital | Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri | - |
Climate | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters | antarctic |
Coastline | 27.5 km | 1,232 km |
Country name | conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
conventional long form:
Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises |
Dependency status | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by High Commissioner of the Republic Brigitte GIRARDIN (since 25 March 1998), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | - | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. |
Elevation extremes | - | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
Environment - current issues | netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn | NA |
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 the UK is used | the flag of France is used |
Geographic coordinates | 34 59 N, 33 45 E | 43 00 S, 67 00 E |
Geography - note | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean |
Industries | none | - |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km (1993) |
Land boundaries | total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed | 0 km |
Land use | - | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
Languages | English, Greek | - |
Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Location | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta | south of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" |
Map references | Middle East | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | - | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
74 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,024,194 GRT/5,255,703 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 12 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway | defense is the responsibility of France |
Natural hazards | - | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes |
Natural resources | - | fish, crayfish |
Population | 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 |
no indigenous inhabitants (July 2001 est.)
note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Terrain | - | volcanic |
Waterways | - | none |