Overview
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.
Geography
- Location
- Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
- Total Area
- 131 sq km
- Climate
- temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
- Coastline
- 27.5 km
- Land Borders
- 108 km
People & Society
Government
- Capital
- Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
- 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
- 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
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)
Economy
- Major Industries
- none
Infrastructure & Communications
Environment
- Current Issues
- netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn