

Topic: Photos of Akrotiri

Topic: Introduction
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.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Geographic coordinates: 34 37 N, 32 58 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 123 sq km

note: includes a salt lake and wetlands
Area - 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
Map description: Akrotiri map showing the UK Sovereign Base Area as well as the adjacent part of south Cyprus.

Topic: People and Society
Population: (2020) approximately 18,195 on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 11,000 Cypriots and 7,195 Service and UK-based contract personnel and dependents
Languages: English, Greek

major-language sample(s): 
Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

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

Topic: Government
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
Dependency status: a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital: 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

etymology: "Episkopi" means "episcopal" in Greek and stems from the fact that the site previously served as the bishop's seat of an Orthodox diocese
Constitution: history: 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)

amendments: amended 1966
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 (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Major General Robert J. THOMSON (since 25 September 2019); 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

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Ministry of Defense
Judicial branch: highest courts: Senior Judges' Court (consists of several visiting judges from England and Wales)

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)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: 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 (see United Kingdom)note: as a UK area of special sovereignty, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

Topic: Economy
Economic 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 euronote: uses the euro

Topic: Communications
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

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 1 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; Akrotiri (aka the Western Sovereign Base Area) has a full RAF base, headquarters for British Forces Cyprus, and the Episkopi Cantonment