Paracel Islands (2001) | Akrotiri (2005) | |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands |
Area - comparative | NA | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. | 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 southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area. |
Capital | - | Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia |
Climate | tropical | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
Coastline | 518 km | 56.3 km |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | - |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
- |
Environment - current issues | NA | shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Thomas 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 |
Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 34 37 N, 32 58 E |
Geography - note | - | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 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 |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
Maritime claims | NA | - |
Military - note | occupied by China | Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit |
Natural hazards | typhoons | - |
Natural resources | none | - |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2001 est.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | - |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | - |
Waterways | none | - |