Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound (CYP) formerly used

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Exchange rates [time series]

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003)

Area [time series]

total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Coastline [time series]

56.3 km

Environment - current issues [time series]

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

Geographic coordinates [time series]

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Geography - note [time series]

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 47.4 km border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Location [time series]

Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Capital [time series]

name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia) 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

Constitution [time series]

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Akrotiri

Dependency status [time series]

a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch [time series]

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 (Flag description) [time series]

the flag of the UK is used

Legal system [time series]

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

Background [time series]

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 southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Military - note [time series]

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

Languages [time series]

English, Greek

Population [time series]

approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents