Zane Education

Home > World Fact Book

References
- Regional Maps
- Flags of the World
- Gallery of Covers
- Definitions and Notes
- Guide to Country Profiles
- Guide to Country Comparisons
Appendices

Europe :: Dhekelia

(UK sovereign base area)

page last updated on April 29, 2011

(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)

Click flag or map to enlarge Opens in New Window


Click map to enlarge

no photos available of Dhekelia

Expand All | collapse All

Introduction ::Dhekelia

Background:

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 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:

Europe

Area:

total: 130.8 sq km

country comparison to the world: 222

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 and Society ::Dhekelia

Languages:

English, Greek

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

country comparison to the world: 219

Education expenditures:

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

Government ::Dhekelia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

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 Air Vice Marshall Graham STACEY (since 4 November 2010); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; the administrator appointed by the monarch

Judicial branch:

see Akrotiri

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

National anthem:

note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

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

Exchange rates:

note: uses the euro

Communications ::Dhekelia

Broadcast media:

British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base (2009)

Military ::Dhekelia

Military - note:

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway

Expand All | collapse All

Study Centre Tools