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Akrotiri and Dhekelia

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Akrotiri and Dhekelia
   (Western and Eastern)
   Sovereign Base Areas

   Flag of United Kingdom Coat of arms of United Kingdom
   Flag                   Coat of arms
   Anthem: God Save the Queen
   Location of United Kingdom

   Akrotiri (left) and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas indicated in pink.
   Capital Episkopi Cantonment
   Official languages English
   Government Sovereign Base Areas
    - Administrator Richard Lacey
   British
   overseas territory
    - Established 1960
   Area
    - Total 254 km²
   98 sq mi
   Population
    - 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 +n/a

   Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two 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.

   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).

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.

   In 1974, Turkey invaded the North of Cyprus, leading to the
   establishment of the 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.

   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.

   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.

   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.

Politics

   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).

Law

   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 Area is concerned with non-military
   offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

   Law and order is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police, while
   military law is upheld by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit.

Geography

   Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA
   Enlarge
   Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA
   Map of Dhekelia (Eastern) SBA
   Enlarge
   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.

   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.

   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.

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.

   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

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.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akrotiri_and_Dhekelia"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
