Tromelin Island (2003) | Dhekelia (2007) | |
Airports | 1 (2002) | - |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. | 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 | 3.7 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: none
conventional short form: Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Tromelin |
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
Dependency status | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion | 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 | claimed by Mauritius | - |
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 7 m |
- |
Environment - current issues | NA | netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn |
Exchange rates | - | Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) |
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 Defense elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of the UK is used |
Geographic coordinates | 15 52 S, 54 25 E | 34 59 N, 33 45 E |
Geography - note | climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
Industries | - | none |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: NA |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (1998 est.) |
- |
Languages | - | English, Greek |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
Map references | Africa | Middle East |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
Natural hazards | NA | - |
Natural resources | fish | - |
Population | uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2003 est.) | no indigenous personnel
note: approximately 2,200 resident military personnel; 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 | - | AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) |
Terrain | low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic | - |
Waterways | none | - |