| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2007) | Dhekelia (2006) | |
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| Area | total: 412 sq km
land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve. | 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 | antarctic | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
| Coastline | 101.9 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 Heard Island and McDonald Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIMI |
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
| Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage | 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 | The islands have no indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government allows limited fishing in the surrounding waters. | 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: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m |
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| 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 | 53 06 S, 72 31 E | 34 59 N, 33 45 E |
| Geography - note | - | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
| Industries | - | none |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km | - |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed |
| Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
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| Languages | - | English, Greek |
| Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Location | islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
| Map references | Antarctic Region | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols | includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
| Natural hazards | Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island | - |
| Natural resources | fish | - |
| Population | uninhabited | 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 |
| 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 | Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky | - |