Akrotiri Country Guide

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.

peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Middle East

total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

56.3 km

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Thomas Clayton PEARSON (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

none (overseas territory of the UK)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

the flag of the UK is used

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

FM 1
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit