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Akrotiri
2014 Edition — territory
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Communications
Broadcast media
[time series]
British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Akrotiri Sovereign Base (2009)
Economy
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]
uses the euro
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 123 sq km country comparison to the world: 224 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]
hunting 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 (SBA) 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: 48 km border countries: Cyprus 48 km
Location
[time series]
Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Map references
[time series]
Europe
Government
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]
presented 3 August 1960, effective 16 August 1960; amended 1966 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, serves as a basic legal document) (2013)
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: none 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 Major General Richard CRIPWELL (since January 2013); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense; the Chief Officer is responsible for the day-to-day running of the civil government of the Sovereign Bases elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; the administrator appointed by the monarch
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
the flag of the UK is used
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest court(s): Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales) judge selection and term of office: judges appointment and tenure NA subordinate courts: Resident Judges' Court; Courts Martial
Legal system
[time series]
laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus; note - the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Introduction
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
Military - note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK; Akrotiri has a full RAF base, headquarters for British Forces Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
People and Society
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 country comparison to the world: 223