Background: 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.
Population 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
Constitution: Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960 effective 16 August 1960
Legal system: 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
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
Economy overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.