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

Geographic coordinates: 34 37 N 32 58 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 123 km²
Note: includes a salt lake and wetlands
Rank: 224
Comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 48 km
Border countries: (1) Cyprus 48 km

Coastline: 56.3 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 (SBA) 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 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: hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Akrotiri
Etymology: named for the village that lies within the Western Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus

Capital
Name: Episkopi Cantonment
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 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960 serves as a basic legal document); amended 1966 (2016)

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-Marshal Michael WIGSTON ; note - administrator 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
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: see entry for United Kingdom
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 UK 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 Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

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 Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area (2009)