Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Western and Eastern) Sovereign Base Areas
Anthem God Save the Queen
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Occupied Areas) Sovereign Base Areas indicated in pink.
Capital		Episkopi Cantonment
Official languages		English, Greek
Government		Sovereign Base Areas
-	Administrator	Richard Lacey
British overseas territory
-	Established	1960
Area
-	Total	254 km²  98 sq mi
Population
-	estimate	7,000 Cypriots, 7,500 British military personnel and families
-	Density	n/a /km² (n/a) n/a /sq mi
Currency		Cypriot pound (CYP)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		n/a
Calling code		+357

Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two UK administered areas on the island of Cyprus that comprise the Sovereign Base Areas Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The bases were retained by the UK following the transition of Cyprus' status from a colony in the British Empire to an independent Commonwealth republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. The United Kingdom retained the bases arising from the strategic location of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links UK_Royal_Coat_of_Arms. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Publication of an early version in The Gentlemans Magazine, 15 October 1745. ... Image File history File links Map of Cyprus with WSBA and ESBA in red. ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Episkopi Cantonment is the capital of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The UK Sovereign Base Areas are those British military base areas located in countries formerly ruled by the United Kingdom which were retained by it and not handed over when those countries attained independence. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... ISO 4217 Code CYP User(s) Cyprus (except in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus), Akrotiri and Dhekelia Inflation 2. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries not observing daylight saving Eastern European Time (EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is a high-precison atomic time standard. ... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is a high-precison atomic time standard. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... The UK Sovereign Base Areas are those British military base areas located in countries formerly ruled by the United Kingdom which were retained by it and not handed over when those countries attained independence. ... Location of the British Overseas Territories A British Overseas Territory is one of fourteen[1] territories which are under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but not considered part of the United Kingdom itself. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... The Commonwealth republics, shown in pink A Commonwealth republic is any one of the 31 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that have a republican form of government. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

The bases are split into Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι; Turkish: Agrotur, along with Episkopi Garrison, is part of an area known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλεια; Turkish: Dikelya, along with Ayios Nikolaos, is part of the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA). Ayios Nikolaos, in the Dhekelia British sovereign base in Cyprus, is a listening station of the spying network ECHELON. The Joint Service Signal Unit (JSSU), formerly 9th Signal Regiment, is based at Ayios Nikolaos providing both the UK Armed Forces and the United Nations Forces with electronic warfare support and...

History

The Sovereign Base Areas were created in 1960 by the Treaty of Establishment, when Cyprus, a colony within the British Empire, was granted independence. The United Kingdom wished to retain sovereignty over these areas, as this guaranteed the use of UK military bases in Cyprus, including RAF Akrotiri, and a garrison of the British Army. The importance of the bases to the British is based on the strategic location of Cyprus, at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and the Middle East; the ability to use the RAF base as staging post for military aircraft; and for general training purposes. The 1960 Treaty of Guarantee was a pact designed to preserve the territorial independence of the Republic of Cyprus. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... RAF Akrotiri is one of the few full-scale Royal Air Force stations left outside the United Kingdom. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Suez Canal, seen from Earth orbit, NASA. Ships moored at El Ballah during transit The Suez Canal (Arabic: , transliteration: ), is a large artificial canal in Egypt west of the Sinai Peninsula. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

In 1974, Turkey invaded the North of Cyprus, leading to the establishment of the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. However, this did not affect the status of the bases, and the British were not involved in the fighting. Greek Cypriots fleeing from the Turks were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia base, and were given humanitarian aid. The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the base area, rather than risk war with Britain. The Ayia Napa area was thus preserved in Greek hands. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Combatants  Turkey  Cyprus Greek military junta The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, referred as the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation by Turkey was a military action against the island nation of Cyprus by Turkey that resulted in the partition of the Republic of Cyprus. ... Anthem Ä°stiklâl Marşı(Turkish) Independence March Capital Nicosia Official languages Turkish Government Representative democratic republic1  -  President Mehmet Ali Talat  -  Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer Sovereignty from Cyprus   -  Proclaimed November 15, 1983   -  Recognition Only by Turkey  Area  -  Total 3,355 km² (not ranked) 1,295 sq mi   -  Water (%) 2. ... Greek Cypriot refers to the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus. ... A beautiful beach of Agia Napa Ayia Napa (Greek: Αγία Νάπα;Turkish: Aya Napa; today officially transliterated into English as Agia Napa) is a resort on at the far eastern end of the south coast of the island of Cyprus. ...

Cyprus has occasionally demanded the return of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, citing that the bases take up a large amount of territory that could be used for civilian development. For four years after Cypriot independence in 1960, the British government paid the Republic of Cyprus rent for the bases. After the intercommunal conflict of 1963-64 they stopped, claiming there was no guarantee that both communities would benefit equally from that money. The Cypriot government is still claiming money for the years from 1964 to now. Estimates for the debt range from several hundred thousand to over one billion Euros. The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... One thousand million (1,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. ... “EUR” redirects here. ...

The Red Arrows flying over the RAF Base at Akrotiri

In July 2001, violent protests were held at the bases by local Cypriots, angry at British plans to construct radio masts at the bases, as part of an upgrade of British military communication posts around the world. Locals had claimed the masts would endanger local lives and cause cancer, as well as have a negative impact on wildlife in the area. The British government denied these claims. Image File history File links RAF_Akritori_base. ... Image File history File links RAF_Akritori_base. ... Red Arrows Hawk at speed during a display The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Scampton, United Kingdom. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The UK has shown no intention of surrendering the bases, although it has offered to surrender 117 square kilometres of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus. Today, around 3,000 troops of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Ayios Nikolaos, in the ESBA, is believed to be a listening station of the intelligence network ECHELON. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... UK Sovereign Base Areas (red) British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British armed forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus. ... Ayios Nikolaos, in the Dhekelia British sovereign base in Cyprus, is a listening station of the spying network ECHELON. The Joint Service Signal Unit (JSSU), formerly 9th Signal Regiment, is based at Ayios Nikolaos providing both the UK Armed Forces and the United Nations Forces with electronic warfare support and... A radome at RAF Menwith Hill, a site with satellite downlink capabilities that some believe to be used by ECHELON. ECHELON is a name used to describe a highly secretive world-wide signals intelligence and analysis network said to be run by the UKUSA Community (composed of intelligence agencies of...

Legal Position

The SBAs were retained in 1960 as military bases under British sovereignty [1]- not as ordinary colonial territories. In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ...

This is the basic philosophy of their administration as declared by Her Majesty's Government in 'Appendix O' to the 1960 treaty with Cyprus, which provided that the British government intended: Her Majestys Government, or when the Sovereign is male, His Majestys Government, abbreviated HMG or HM Government, is the formal title used by the Government of the United Kingdom. ...

• Not to develop the Sovereign Base Areas for other than military purposes.
• Not to set up and administer "colonies".
• Not to create customs posts or other frontier barriers between the Sovereign Base Areas and the Republic.
• Not to set up or permit the establishment of civilian commercial or industrial enterprises except insofar as these are connected with military requirements, and not otherwise to impair the economic commercial or industrial unity and life of the Island.
• Not to establish commercial or civilian seaports or airports.
• Not to allow new settlement of people in the Sovereign Base Areas other than for temporary purposes.
• Not to expropriate private property within the Sovereign Base Areas except for military purposes on payment of fair compensation. [2]

The bases have their own legal system, distinct from the UK and Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as at August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are kept, as far as possible, the same as the laws of Cyprus.

The Court of the Sovereign Base Areas is concerned with non-military offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and law and order is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police, while military law is upheld by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit. The Sovereign Base Areas Police is the local civilian police force for the British controlled Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus. ...

The British Army Garrison HQ at Dhekelia

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 226 KB) Summary The British Army HQ, Dhekelia Licensing This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 226 KB) Summary The British Army HQ, Dhekelia Licensing This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Politics

According to the Ministry of Defence, "Because the SBAs are primarily required as military bases and not ordinary dependent territories, the Administration reports to the Ministry of Defence in London. It has no formal connection with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the British High Commission in Nicosia, although there are close informal links with both offices on policy matter" [3]

The bases are administered by the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas, who is the Commander British Forces Cyprus. The Administrator is officially appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the Ministry of Defence. The Administrator has all the executive and legislative authority of a Governor of an overseas territory. A Chief Officer is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government. No elections are held in the Bases, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen-in-Parliament) legislative power. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ...

Geography

Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA

Map of Dhekelia (Eastern) SBA

Akrotiri and Dhekelia cover 3% of the land area of Cyprus, a total of 98 square miles (47.5 at Akrotiri and 50.5 at Dhekelia). 60% of the land is privately owned, either by British or Cypriot citizens. The other 40% is owned by the Ministry of Defence, or is classed as Crown land. In addition to Akrotiri and Dhekelia themselves, the Treaty of Establishment also provides for the continued use by the British Government of certain facilities within Cyprus, known as Retained Sites. CIA World Factbook map of Akrotiri SBA. From http://www. ... CIA World Factbook map of Akrotiri SBA. From http://www. ... World Factbook map of Dhekelia SBA. From http://www. ... World Factbook map of Dhekelia SBA. From http://www. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen_in_Parliament) legislative power. ...

Akrotiri is located in the south of the island, near the city of Limassol (or Lemesos). Dhekelia is in the southeast, near Larnaca. Both of these areas include military bases, as well as farmland and some residential land. Akrotiri is surrounded by territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, but Dhekelia also borders on the United Nations (UN) buffer zone and the Turkish-occupied part of the island. District Limassol Government  - Mayor Andreas Christou Population (2001)  - City 162,000 Time zone EET (UTC+2) Website: http://www. ... View of Limassol from the top of the medieval castle museum Limassol (population 107,000) is the English name for Lemesos (Greek: Λεμεσος , Turkish: Leymosun), the second-largest city of Cyprus. ... District Larnaka  - Mayor Andreas Moyseos Population (2001)  - City 72,000 Time zone EET (UTC+2) Website: http://www. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Anthem Ä°stiklâl Marşı(Turkish) Independence March Capital Nicosia Official languages Turkish Government Representative democratic republic1  -  President Mehmet Ali Talat  -  Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer Sovereignty from Cyprus   -  Proclaimed November 15, 1983   -  Recognition Only by Turkey  Area  -  Total 3,355 km² (not ranked) 1,295 sq mi   -  Water (%) 2. ...

Ayia Napa lies to the East of Dhekelia. The villages of Xylotymvou and Ormidhia, also in the Republic of Cyprus, are enclaves surrounded by Dhekelia SBA. The Dhekelia Power Station, divided by a British road into two parts, also belongs to Cyprus. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea, and therefore not an enclave, though it has no territorial waters of its own. A beautiful beach of Agia Napa Ayia Napa (Greek: Αγία Νάπα;Turkish: Aya Napa; today officially transliterated into English as Agia Napa) is a resort on at the far eastern end of the south coast of the island of Cyprus. ... Xylotymvou is a village in Larnaca District in south-eastern Cyprus. ... Ormidhia is a village in Larnaca District in south-eastern Cyprus. ...

Demographics

When the bases were being established, the boundaries were drawn up to avoid centres of population. However, around 14,000 people live in the bases. Around 7,000 native Cypriots live in the bases, who either work in the bases themselves, or on farmland within the boundaries of the bases. The British military and their families make up the rest of the population.

There is no specific citizenship available for the bases, although some people may be able to claim British Overseas Territories citizenship (BOTC) status. Unlike all other British territories, BOTCs connected solely with the Sovereign Base Areas do not have any entitlement to full British citizenship. // British Nationality Act 1981 The British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983, and divided Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKCs) into three categories: British citizens CUKCs with the right of abode in the United Kingdom and Islands (i. ...

Under the terms of the 1960 agreement with Cyprus establishing the Sovereign Base Areas, the United Kingdom is committed not to use the Areas for civilian purposes. This was stated in 2002 as the primary reason for the exclusion of the Areas from the scope of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 The British Overseas Territories Act 2002 is an Act of Parliament passed in the United Kingdom in 2002, which superseded the British Nationality Act 1981. ...

Economy

There are no economic statistics gathered for Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The main economic activities are the provision of services to the military, as well as limited agriculture.

References

• Vassilis K. Fouskas. 2003. Zones of Conflict: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Balkans and the Greater Middle East. Pluto Press. ISBN 0-7453-2030-9. Pp. 93, 111

This article or section is missing citations and/or footnotes. This article or section contains insufficiently sourced phrases. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. You may improve the article or discuss this issue on its talk page. Help on using footnotes is available. This article has been tagged since May 2007. Image File history File links Information. ...

See also

• British overseas territories

Location of the British Overseas Territories A British Overseas Territory is one of fourteen[1] territories which are under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but not considered part of the United Kingdom itself. ...

External links

• Wikimedia Atlas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, holding maps related to Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
• Sovereign Base Areas Administration web-pages
• BBC News- "UK offers to cede Cyprus land"
• BBC News- "Cyprus protesters clash at UK base"
• CIA World Factbook entry on Akrotiri
• CIA World Factbook entry on Dhekelia
• - The Princess Mary's Hospital RAF Akrotiri

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Coordinates: 34°35′N, 32°59′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...