Skip to content. | Skip to navigation
 

Central Intelligence Agency

Navigation

Mission

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an independent US Government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers.

For more on the Agency's mission, visit our Strategic Intent.
Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
CIA - The World Factbook The World Factbook Home
CIA - The World Factbook
Europe :: Akrotiri
(UK Sovereign Base Area)
page last updated on April 26, 2010
Flag of Akrotiri
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Akrotiri
Click flag or map to enlarge Opens in New Window
 
Map of Akrotiri
Click map to enlarge Opens in New Window
No Photos available for Akrotiri
 
no photos available of Akrotiri
Expand All | collapse All
Introduction ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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.
Back to Top
Geography ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
34 37 N, 32 58 E
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Europe
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 123 sq km
country comparison to the world: 223
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
56.3 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Current Weather
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Back to Top
People ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
country comparison to the world: 218
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
English, Greek
Back to Top
Government ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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 monarchy is hereditary; the administrator appointed by the monarch
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
the flag of the UK is used
Back to Top
Economy ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008)
note: on 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus
Back to Top
Communications ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Back to Top
Military ::Akrotiri
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
Back to Top
Expand All | collapse All
The online Factbook is updated bi-weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.