| The World Factbook | ||
|
|
Dhekelia |
|
|
| Introduction | Dhekelia |
|
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. |
| Geography | Dhekelia |
|
Location:
|
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
34 59 N, 33 45 E |
|
Map references:
|
Middle East |
|
Area:
|
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 103 km (approximately)
border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately) |
|
Coastline:
|
27.5 km |
|
Climate:
|
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn |
|
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 |
| People | Dhekelia |
|
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 |
| Government | Dhekelia |
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
|
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); located in Akrotiri
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 |
|
Constitution:
|
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document |
|
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 Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
|
Flag description:
|
the flag of the UK is used |
| Economy | Dhekelia |
|
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 |
|
Currency (code):
|
euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound (CYP) formerly used |
|
Exchange rates:
|
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008)
note: on 1 January 2008, Dhekelia and Akrotiri adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus |
| Communications | Dhekelia |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) |
| Military | Dhekelia |
|
Military - note:
|
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
|
This page was last updated on 14 May, 2009 |