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.

Geographic coordinates: 34 59 N 33 45 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 130.8 km²
Note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Rank: 223
Comparative: about three-quarters the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 108 km
Border countries: (1) Cyprus 108 km

Coastline: 27.5 km

Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot dry summers and cool winters

Geography
Note: 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

Population: 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

Languages: English Greek

Environment
Current issues: netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Dhekelia

Capital
Name: Episkopi Cantonment ; located in Akrotiri
Geographic coordinates: 34 40 N 32 51 E
Time difference: UTC+2
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution: 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)

Legal system: 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
Head of government: Administrator Air Vice Marshall Graham STACEY ; note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense

Judicial branch
Highest court: Senior Judges' Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointment and tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Resident Judges' Court; Courts Martial

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: the flag of the UK is used

National anthem
Note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty 'God Save the Queen' is official

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.

Industries: none

Exchange rates
Note: uses the euro

Broadcast media: British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base (2009)