Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (/ˌækroʊˈtɪəri ənd diˈkeɪliə/), officially the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBA), is a British Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus. The areas, which include British military bases and installations formerly part of the Crown colony of Cyprus, were retained by the British under the 1960 treaty of independence signed by the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey and representatives from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. The territory serves an important role as a station for signals intelligence and provides a vital strategic part of the United Kingdom surveillance-gathering network in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia | |
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Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia | |
Seal of Akrotiri Seal of Dhekelia | |
Location of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (red) | |
Location of Akrotiri (left) and Dhekelia (right) in pink on Cyprus (pink, grey, and beige) | |
Treaty of Establishment | 16 August 1960 |
Capital | Episkopi Cantonment |
Largest civilian settlement | Akrotiri |
Official languages | English |
Common languages | |
Government | De facto stratocratic dependency under a constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Charles III |
• Administrator | Air Vice-Marshal Peter Squires ex officio |
Government of the United Kingdom | |
• Minister | The Lord Benyon |
Area | |
• Total | 254 km2 (98 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 18,195 (not ranked) |
Currency | Euro (EUR, €) |
Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Driving side | left |
Calling code | +357 |
Postal codes in Cyprus UK postcode | 4640 (Akrotiri) 7502 (Dhekelia) BFPO 57 / BF1 2AT (Akrotiri) BFPO 58 / BF1 2AU (Dhekelia) |
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