widespread
corruption impedes counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed
in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to
drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional
source of hashish

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

======================================================================

@Akrotiri

Introduction
Akrotiri

Background:

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.

Geography
Akrotiri

Location:

Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

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

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Coastline:

56.3 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

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

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
Akrotiri

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

Languages:

English, Greek

Government
Akrotiri

Country name:

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

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)
geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Wash