82-754: 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 . Established in August 1960, the force has responsibility for all 15,000 residents of the SBAs, including military personnel. The Cyprus Joint Police Unit (the Royal Navy Police , Royal Military Police and RAF Police ), has concurrent jurisdiction over all offences committed by service personnel and UK dependents/employees within
164-529: A base at Ayios Nikolaos plus parts of twelve village districts. As of 2024, based units include Ayios Nikolaos Station , in the ESBA, is an ELINT (electronic intelligence) listening station of the UKUSA Agreement intelligence network. The UKUSA signals intelligence system is sometimes known as " ECHELON ". The SBAs were retained in 1960 to keep military bases in areas under British sovereignty, along with
246-535: A review of their operations by Lord Ashcroft : The Sovereign Base areas are in a region of geo-political importance and high priority for the United Kingdom's long term national security interests ... Our military personnel, United Kingdom civilians and locally employed personnel in the Sovereign Base Areas make a major contribution to the national security of the United Kingdom and will continue to do so in
328-615: A series of bomb attacks against the pipeline carrying fresh water to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area. The pipeline was breached by explosions twelve times. In the early 1970s the United States built an over-the-horizon radar named Cobra Shoe, which could observe airplane operations and missile tests in southern Russia. This was operated by the RAF on behalf of the U.S. Air Force . This augmented an earlier British system built in
410-466: A single pre-Ottoman local gene pool. The frequency of total haplotypes shared between Greek and Turkish Cypriots is 7-8%, with analysis showing that none of these being found in Turkey, thus not supporting a Turkish origin for the shared haplotypes. No shared haplotypes were observed between Greek Cypriots and mainland Turkish populations, while total haplotypes shared between Turkish Cypriots and mainland Turks
492-600: A staging point for ground forces. The Labour government, under whom the proposal appeared, was replaced by the Cameron–Clegg coalition whose defence review did not mention the issue. On 15 December 2012 in a written statement to the House of Commons , the UK's Secretary of State for Defence , Philip Hammond , revealed the findings of a report on the SBA military bases following the completion of
574-604: A tented refugee camp was set up at "Happy Valley" (part of the Episkopi Cantonment ) to house Turkish Cypriots fleeing from Limassol and the villages surrounding the Area, until in 1975 they were flown out of RAF Akrotiri via Turkey to northern Cyprus . Some Greek Cypriot refugees remain housed on land in the parts of Trachoni and Kolossi villages that fall within the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area. In 1974,
656-537: Is Cypriot Greek , a dialect of Modern Greek . It shares certain characteristics with varieties of Crete , the Dodecanese and Chios , as well as those of Asia Minor . Greek Cypriots are generally educated in Standard Modern Greek, though they tend to speak it with an accent and preserve some Greek Cypriot grammar. A 2017 study, found that Cypriots belong to a wide and homogeneous genetic domain, along with
738-589: Is a British Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus . The areas, which include British military bases and installations that were 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 as a station for signals intelligence and
820-555: Is administered by an Administrator , who is also the Commander of British Forces Cyprus , which as of September 2022 is Air Vice-Marshal Peter J. M. Squires . 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
902-472: Is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government, with subordinate Area Officers responsible for the civil administration of the two areas. No elections are held in the territory, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). The areas have their own legal system, distinct from
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#1732852044449984-568: Is located there, which has a runway suitable for long-distance flights, but is not used for public flights. The Base Areas form part of the Republic of Cyprus telephone numbering plan , using the international prefix +357 . Landline numbers are in the same eight-digit format, with the last four digits being the line number. Numbers in Dhekelia begin with the digits 2474, while those in Akrotiri begin with
1066-608: Is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police , while offences involving British Forces Cyprus and military law are dealt with by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit. Fire and rescue services are provided by the Defence Fire and Risk Management Organisation through stations at Episkopi, Akrotiri, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolayos. The Defence Medical Services provide emergency ambulance cover based from medical centres in
1148-485: Is now only available to viewers via satellite, having been confined to the SBAs or encrypted in 1997 for copyright reasons, before BFBS switched off its analogue transmitters in 2009. The British East Mediterranean Relay Station was situated locally. Football clubs in the territory, such as Ethnikos Achna FC and APEA Akrotiri , compete in the Cypriot football league system . A separate league for British military teams,
1230-436: Is served by Dhekelia Primary School and Ayios Nikolaos Primary School, which are feeders for King Richard School . The Western Sovereign Base Area is served by Episkopi Primary School and Akrotiri Primary School, which are feeders for St. John's School . No economic statistics are gathered for Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The main economic activities are the provision of services to the military, as well as limited agriculture. When
1312-530: Is the low frequency of haplogroups I, R1a among Greek Cypriots because the mainland Greek population has received considerable migrations during the Byzantine era and the Middle Ages from other Balkanic populations, such as Slavs, Aromanians (Vlachs), and Albanians (Arvanites), while the biggest differentiating characteristic between Greek Cypriots and Middle Easterners is the much lower frequency of haplogroup J1 among
1394-678: Is thereby part of the United Kingdom's surveillance-gathering work in the Mediterranean and the Middle East . The Sovereign Base Areas were created in 1960 by the London and Zürich Agreements , when Cyprus achieved independence from the British Empire , as recorded by the United Nations in 1960 as treaty 5476. The United Kingdom desired to retain sovereignty over these areas, as this guaranteed
1476-669: The 1974 coup , which prompted the Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern part of the island. Cyprus remains divided today, with the two communities almost completely separated. Many of those whom lost their homes, lands and possessions during the Turkish invasion, emigrated mainly to the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, South Africa and Europe, although most left Cyprus before 1974. There are today estimated to be 335,000 Greek Cypriot emigrants living in Great Britain. The majority of
1558-734: The British 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 matters. The territory
1640-518: The British Nationality Act 1981 by which British citizenship (with the right of abode in the United Kingdom ) can either be claimed through automatic entitlement or be applied for by means of registration, from or through a sole personal connection to the Base Areas (in comparison, the 2002 Act bestowed British citizenship on all other BOTCs). Hence, non-British and non-military personnel with
1722-698: The European Union in 2004, officially representing the entire island, but suspended for the time being in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus . Greeks in Cyprus number 659,115, according to the 2011 Cypriot census. There is a notable community of Cypriots and people of Cypriot descent in Greece. In Athens, the Greek Cypriot community numbers ca. 55,000 people. There is also a large Greek Cypriot diaspora, particularly in
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#17328520444491804-478: The United Kingdom . Cypriot cuisine , as with other Greek cuisine , was imprinted with the spices and herbs made common as a result of extensive trade links within the Ottoman Empire. Names of many dishes came to reflect the sources of the ingredients from the many lands . Coffee houses pervasively spread throughout the island into all major towns and countless villages. The everyday language of Greek Cypriots
1886-420: The United Nations (UN) buffer zone and the area controlled by the Turkish forces . Ayia Napa lies to the east of Dhekelia. The villages of Xylotympou and Ormideia , also in the Republic of Cyprus, are enclaves surrounded by Dhekelia. The Dhekelia Power Station , divided by a British road into two parts, also belongs to the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas
1968-490: The British Armed Forces of certain facilities within the Republic of 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 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
2050-437: The British bases were unlikely to play a major part in any intervention. There is normally no passport check at the border from Akrotiri or Dhekelia to Cyprus. Perhaps to help reduce any tensions in the area, outside of the bases much of the territory is indistinguishable from that controlled by Cyprus and casual visitors may not realize that they have crossed an international border. In the exchange of notes establishing them
2132-606: The British government decided that British forces would be entirely withdrawn from Cyprus, because the sprawling bases had become undefendable in the light of increasing troop demands in Northern Ireland , and because of pressure on the defence budget. The American government strongly objected to any British withdrawal that would result in the United States losing access to GCHQ signals intelligence from Cyprus, since it had lost access to its many signals intelligence bases in Turkey due to its political dispute with Turkey following
2214-494: The British government specifically stated that it would not "...create customs posts or other frontier barriers between the Sovereign Base Areas and the Republic." More formal controls do exist at the Republic of Northern Cyprus boundary. Possession of a passport or an EU-compliant national identity card is generally needed in Cyprus. A passport is required to travel between Cyprus /SBAs and Northern Cyprus . Issues concerning
2296-766: The Cyprus Forces Football League, is run by the Royal Air Force FA . The Commander British Forces Cyprus Sporting Competition (CBF Cup), a multi-sport competition between teams representing bases and resident British infantry battalions, is held annually. 34°35′N 32°59′E / 34.583°N 32.983°E / 34.583; 32.983 Greek Cypriots Greek diaspora Constantinople and Asia Minor : Africa : Other regions : Other groups : Other languages Greek Cypriots ( Greek : Ελληνοκύπριοι , romanized : Ellinokýprioi , Turkish : Kıbrıs Rumları ) are
2378-672: The Greek Cypriots in Great Britain currently live in England ; there is an estimate of around 3,000 in Wales and 1,000 in Scotland . By the early 1990s, Greek Cypriot society enjoyed a high standard of living. Economic modernization created a more flexible and open society and caused Greek Cypriots to share the concerns and hopes of other secularized West European societies. The Republic of Cyprus joined
2460-589: The Greek Orthodox Christian bishops of Cyprus, in Vasilis Michaelides epic poem "The 9th of July of 1821 in Nicosia, Cyprus", written in 1884–1895. The poem is considered a key literary expression of Greek Cypriot Enosis sentiment. During the period of British colonial rule (1878–1960), an efficient colonial administration was established, but government and education were administered along ethnic lines, accentuating differences. For example,
2542-600: The Greek or Turkish communities and voted to join the former due to a shared religion. Cyprus was part of the Mycenaean civilization with local production of Mycenaean vases dating to the Late Helladic III (1400–1050 BC). The quantity of this pottery concludes that there were numerous Mycenaean settlers, if not settlements, on the island. Archaeological evidence shows that Greek settlement began unsystematically in c. 1400 BC, then steadied (possibly due to Dorian invaders on
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2624-594: The Mycenaean Greeks and the Minoans were genetically closely related, and that both are closely related, but not identical, to modern Greek populations. The F ST between the sampled Bronze Age populations and present-day West Eurasians was estimated, finding that Mycenaeans are least differentiated from the populations of Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and Italy. A 2017 study, found that both Greek Cypriots' and Turkish Cypriots' patrilineal ancestry derives primarily from
2706-622: The Neolithic (early farmers), the Iron Age (Phoenicians), and the Middle Ages (Maronites and other Levantine settlers during the Frankish era). The authors note however that the Calabrian samples used in the analysis were relatively small (n = 30 comparative dataset, n = 74 YHRD) and thus these results should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, from the Greek sub-populations, Cretan Greeks were found to be
2788-506: The Ottoman Empire in 1821. A movement for the realization of enosis gradually formed, in which the Church of Cyprus played a dominant role during the Cyprus dispute . "Hellenism is a race as aged as the world, Nobody could be found to eliminate it, Nobody, for it is protected from above by my God, Hellenism will be lost, only when the world is gone." Archbishop Kyprianos' fictional response to Kucuk Mehmet's threat to execute
2870-640: The Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife Ordinance (implementing the provisions of the Habitats Directive), enacted in 2007. In December 2015, five Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) were designated in the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas. The five SACs designated are Akrotiri, Episkopi, Cape Pyla, Dhekelia and Agios Nikolaos. The designations were made under the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife Ordinance and will support
2952-653: The Republic of Cyprus. Amateur radio stations on the bases use the International Telecommunication Union prefix of "ZC4", which is assigned to Great Britain. There are about 52 amateurs licensed in this manner. Amateur radio direction finding identified RAF Akrotiri as the location of the powerful but now defunct shortwave numbers station " Lincolnshire Poacher ". Several curtain antennas there have been identified as being used for these transmissions. BFBS Radio 1 and 2 are broadcast on FM and can be widely received across Cyprus. BFBS Television
3034-614: The Republic of Cyprus. The 2015 survey estimated a maximum 19 km (12 mi) of mist nets across both the Republic and the British Territories, and more than 5,300 limesticks removed, mainly in the Republic. It is estimated that over 2 million birds were killed in 2015 including over 800,000 on British Territories. Employing measures such as covert camera surveillance (including a drone), exclusion zones and impounding vehicles, trapping activity at Dhekelia fell by 77.5%. In 2016 an estimated 800,000 birds were killed at Dhekelia and in
3116-651: The SBA Police has responsibility for the operation of HMP Dhekelia (the SBA Prison). Although the SBA Police is administered by the Ministry of Defence , it is a separate force from the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP). Sovereign Base Areas Akrotiri and Dhekelia ( / ˌ æ k r oʊ ˈ t ɪər i ə n d d i ˈ k eɪ l i ə / ), officially the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia ( SBA ),
3198-686: The SBAs (in particular the site and remains of Kourion , the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates near Kourion, the Stadium of Curium and the Church and remains of the Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of the Cats ) should be administered by the Republic of Cyprus. The Cypriot government issues licences for antiquity excavation in the SBAs subject to British consent, and any movable antiquities found in excavations or otherwise discovered become Cypriot state property. According to
3280-526: The SBAs, garrisons, and stations, and other retained military sites outside the SBAs. Both work in full cooperation with each other and any jurisdiction issues are managed through an agreed memorandum of understanding. The SBA Police consists of a total of 241 officers and 12 civilian employees. There are British senior officers, with the remainder recruited from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. In addition to its regular policing duties,
3362-536: The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad , could hit Cyprus, and could potentially deliver chemical weapons. In some Cypriot media it was stated that the proposed interdiction of the Syrian civil war, utilising Akrotiri and Dhekelia, could recklessly endanger the Cypriot populations near to those bases. Two days earlier, on 27 August 2013, Cypriot foreign minister Ioannis Kasoulides had moved to calm Cypriot concerns, saying that
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3444-463: The Treaty of Establishment." It also argued that the UK does not have territorial waters in the areas. The UK government does not recognise Cypriot claims that the UK's sovereignty in the areas is limited. In July 2001, protests were held at the bases by local Cypriots, unhappy with British plans to construct radio masts at the bases as part of an upgrade of British military communication posts around
3526-427: The Turkish forces were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area and were given humanitarian aid, with those from Achna setting up a new village (Dasaki Achnas or Achna Forest) which is still in the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area. The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area to avoid military conflict with the United Kingdom. In the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
3608-549: The UK's 2020 departure from the EU . Cyprus, Ireland and Spain are the only three EU states that conducted bilateral talks with the UK on the Brexit issue. The talks between the UK and the Republic of Cyprus started in October 2017. The Brexit withdrawal agreement has a protocol on the SBAs, with provisions essentially maintaining their previous status. Akrotiri and Dhekelia cover 3% of
3690-432: The United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as of August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are closely aligned with, and in some cases identical to, the laws operating within the Republic 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
3772-417: The Western Sovereign Base Area (WSBA), which includes two main bases at RAF Akrotiri and Episkopi Cantonment , plus all of Akrotiri village's district (including Limassol Salt Lake ) and parts of eleven other village districts. The other area is Dhekelia Cantonment ( Greek : Δεκέλεια pronounced [ðeˈceʎa] ; Turkish : Dikelya ), or the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA), which includes
3854-604: The antennas. The Sovereign Base Areas Administration has carried out assessments and surveys into the effects on wildlife, which have fed into an "Akrotiri Peninsula Environmental Management Plan", published in September 2012. In 2004, the UK offered to cede 117 square kilometres (45 sq mi) of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus . On 29 August 2013, during the Syrian civil war , some Cypriot and British media sources speculated that long-range ballistic missiles, fired from Syria in retaliation for proposed British involvement in military intervention against
3936-539: The area, especially around the cliffs. The beaches in the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) are important nesting sites for the endangered green Chelonia mydas and loggerhead Caretta caretta turtles. The SBA Environment Department, assisted by a large volunteer effort, has monitored turtle nesting success on SBA beaches since 1990. Disturbance to nesting turtles is an issue in some areas due to activities such as camping, driving on beaches and illegal fishing . Sea turtles in Cyprus are protected as priority species under
4018-559: The closest to Cypriots. In terms of Rst pairwise genetic differences, which indicate deeper shared paternal ancestry than shared haplotypes, Greeks appear genetically close to Cypriots, and equidistant from Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Both Greek and Turkish Cypriots have similar frequencies for their major patrilineal haplogroups, with the main subclades for both being J2a-M410 (23.8% and 20.3% resp.), E-M78 (12.8% and 13.9% resp.) and G2-P287 (12.5% and 13.7% resp.). The biggest differentiating characteristic between Greek Cypriots and mainland Greeks
4100-676: The connection to the territory cannot live and work in the UK and must use their Cypriot passports to apply for visas to the UK. 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 . As of 2010 , around 7,195 service personnel of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Service Children's Education oversees education for children of personnel and MoD employees. The Eastern Sovereign Base Area
4182-404: The development of two distinct nationalities with antagonistic loyalties. The importance of religion within the Greek Cypriot community was reinforced when the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus, Makarios III , was elected the first president of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. For the next decade and a half, enosis was a key issue for Greek Cypriots, and a key cause of events leading up to
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#17328520444494264-459: The digits 2527. Postal services are provided by the British Forces Post Office , with mail to Akrotiri being addressed to BFPO 57 and mail to Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos being addressed to BFPO 58. Cyprus Postal Services provides postal service for civilian homes and businesses within the Base Areas, then using Cypriot postal codes and "Cyprus" as country on letters from abroad. The bases are issued different amateur radio call signs from
4346-432: The domination of whichever power was dominant in the eastern Mediterranean , destroying its civilization was never a military objective or necessity. The Greek Cypriots did however endure the oppressive rule of first the Lusignans and then the Venetians from the 1190s through to 1570. King Amaury , who succeeded his brother Guy de Lusignan in 1194, was particularly intolerant of the Orthodox Church. Greek Cypriot land
4428-410: The early 1960s named Project Sandra. The American use of the base was hidden from the Cypriot government due to their . In 1974, following a military coup by the Cypriot National Guard , Turkey invaded the north of Cyprus , leading to the establishment of the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . This did not affect the status of the bases. Greek Cypriots fleeing from
4510-440: The education system was organized with two Boards of Education, one Greek and one Turkish, controlled by Athens and Istanbul , respectively. The resulting Greco-Turkish educational systems emphasized linguistic, religious, cultural, and ethnic differences and downplayed traditional ties between the two Cypriot communities. The two groups were encouraged to view themselves as extensions of their respective motherlands, leading to
4592-474: The ethnic Greek population of Cyprus , forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community. According to the 2011 census, 659,115 respondents recorded their ethnicity as Greek, forming almost 99% of the 667,398 Cypriot citizens and over 78% of the 840,407 total residents of the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. These figures do not include the 29,321 citizens of Greece residing in Cyprus, ethnic Greeks recorded as citizens of other countries, or
4674-403: The existing network ( NATURA 2000 ) of SACs in Cyprus and across Europe. When the areas were being established, the boundaries were deliberately drawn to avoid centres of population. Approximately 18,195 people live in the areas. About 11,000 native Cypriots work in the areas themselves, or on farmland within the boundaries of the areas. The British military and their families make up the rest of
4756-446: The following year trapping activity fell by 77.5% and bird deaths to an estimated 180,000. The Episkopi Cliffs Important Bird Area lies mostly within the western base area, and covers much of the peninsula. It was identified as an IBA in 1989, and became recognised under the Ramsar Convention in 2003. 60% was designated as a Special Protection Area in 2010. Over 300 bird species have been recorded in this area. The wetlands, including
4838-435: The future. The Republic of Cyprus claims that the Sovereign Base Areas are a "remnant of colonialism ". On 30 June 2005 the House of Representatives of Cyprus unanimously adopted a resolution on the legal status of the base areas originally proposed by Vassos Lyssarides . The resolution refers to "relevant UN decisions on the abolition of colonialism, as well as the fundamental principles of international law, which forbid
4920-467: The invasion of Cyprus. The United States agreed to contribute to base costs, and the British cancelled the closure plan. American use of the base increased, such as Lockheed U-2 spy flights on Syria, though flights were generally at night "to avoid local curiosity". The territory comprises two base areas. One is Akrotiri ( Greek : Ακρωτήρι pronounced [akroˈtiri] ; Turkish : Ağrotur Turkish pronunciation: [ˈaːɾotuɾ] ), or
5002-416: The island. To protect resident and migratory birds, BirdLife Cyprus and the RSPB survey areas of illegal trapping. More than 150 species of birds, over half of conservation concern, have been trapped in nets, or on limesticks , and it is estimated that organised crime gangs earn over 15 million Euros yearly. The dead birds are sold to provide the main ingredient for ambelopoulia — an illegal delicacy — in
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#17328520444495084-430: The land area of Cyprus, a total of 254 km (98 sq mi) (split 123 km (47 sq mi) (48.5%) at Akrotiri and 131 km (51 sq mi) (51.5%) at Dhekelia). Akrotiri and Dhekelia have a border of 48 km (30 mi) and 108 km (67 mi) with Cyprus respectively. Akrotiri also has a longer coastline than Dhekelia. 60% of the land is privately owned as freeholds by Cypriot citizens;
5166-453: The land they had been working on for centuries. Although religiously tolerant, Ottoman rule was generally harsh and inefficient. The patriarch serving the Ottoman sultan acted as ethnarch , or leader of the Greek nation, and gained secular powers as a result of the gradual dysfunction of Ottoman rule, for instance in adjudicating justice and in the collection of taxes. Turkish settlers suffered alongside their Greek Cypriot neighbors, and
5248-538: The large salt lake, are an important habitat and bird hotspot. These wetlands are an important breeding spot for the ferruginous duck , which has nested there since 2005. Other species that nest in the wetlands include the black-winged stilt , the Kentish plover , the spur-winged lapwing , and the stone-curlew . Black francolins , Cyprus wheatears , Cyprus warblers , Eleonora's falcons , peregrine falcons , griffon vultures , European shags , European rollers , blue rock thrushs , and wallcreepers breed elsewhere in
5330-418: The main bases. All emergency services are accessible from any telephone using the Europe-wide emergency number 112. In January 2010, a newspaper article appeared in the British press claiming that as a result of budgetary constraints arising from the Great Recession , the British Ministry of Defence drew up controversial plans to withdraw the United Kingdom's 3,000 strong garrison and end the use of Cyprus as
5412-475: The mainland) with definite settlements established in c. 1200 BC. The close connection between the Arcadian dialect and those of Pamphylia and Cyprus indicates that the migration came from Achaea . The Achaean tribe may have been an original population of the Peloponnese, Pamphylia, and Cyprus, living in the latter prior to the Dorian invasion , and not a subsequent immigrant group; the Doric elements in Arcadian are lacking in Cypriot. Achaeans settled among
5494-426: The occupation of territory within the domain of any other country." It claims that "the United Kingdom does not have substantial sovereignty over the British bases, but it has as much sovereignty as is necessary for military reasons and not for administrative, financial and / or any other reasons." The resolution urged the UK government "to fulfil its financial obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus, which derive from
5576-422: The old population, and founded Salamis . The epic Cypria , dating to the 7th century BC, may have originated in Cyprus. The Byzantine era profoundly molded Greek Cypriot culture. The Greek Orthodox Christian legacy bestowed on Greek Cypriots in this period would live on during the succeeding centuries of foreign domination. Because Cyprus was never the final goal of any external ambition, but simply fell under
5658-428: The other 40% is controlled by the Ministry of Defence as Crown leasehold land. In January 2014, an agreement between the Cypriot and UK governments was signed, ensuring that residents and property owners in the British Bases will enjoy equal rights for the development of property. In addition to Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the Treaty of Establishment also provided for the continued use by the British Ministry of Defence and
5740-470: The people of the Aegean Islands (including Crete ), Sicily , and southern Italy (including the Greek-speaking minorities of Apulia and Calabria), while the continental part of Greece, including Peloponnesus, appears as slightly differentiated, by clustering with the other Southern Balkan populations of Albania and Kosovo. The study calls this distinct genetic domain, the "Mediterranean genetic continuum". A 2017 archaeogenetics study, concluded that both
5822-423: The period of Ottoman rule (1570–1878) had a limited impact on Greek Cypriot culture. The Ottomans tended to administer their multicultural empire with the help of their subject millets , or religious communities. The millet system allowed the Greek Cypriot community to survive, administered on behalf of Constantinople by the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus. Cypriot Greeks were now able to take control of
5904-511: The population of Northern Cyprus . The majority of Greek Cypriots are members of the Church of Cyprus , an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity . In regard to the 1960 Constitution of Cyprus , the term also includes Maronites , Armenians , and Catholics of the Latin Church ("Latins"), who were given the option of being included in either
5986-479: The population. Persons related to the territory may in theory be eligible to claim the British Overseas Territories citizenship (BOTC status) through a personal connection to the areas (i.e., birth on the territory before 1983, or born after 1983 to a parent who was born on the territory before 1983). But unlike most other British Overseas Territories, there is no provision in the 2002 amendment of
6068-466: The rights retained to use other sites in what became the territory of the Republic. That makes them different from the other remaining British Overseas Territories . The basic philosophy of their administration was declared by the British government in Appendix O to the 1960 treaty with Cyprus, which provided that the British government intended: Appendix O also provides that various ancient monuments in
6150-498: The southern part is located by the sea, and therefore not an enclave, though it has no territorial waters of its own. Territorial waters of 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) are claimed, and the right according to the laws of the UN to extend the claim of up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) is reserved. Cyprus is an important migration flyway for birds between Africa and Europe and millions of birds are killed yearly as they migrate over
6232-462: The territory under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus switched currencies from the Cypriot pound to the euro on 1 January 2008, Akrotiri and Dhekelia followed suit making the Sovereign Base Areas the only territory under British sovereignty to officially use the euro. Cypriot motorways pass through both areas. There is no public airport within the areas, but the RAF Akrotiri airbase
6314-399: The two groups together endured centuries of oppressive governance from Constantinople . A minority of Greek Cypriots converted to Islam during this period, and are sometimes referred to as "neo-Muslims" by historians. Politically, the concept of enosis – unification with the Greek "motherland" – became important to literate Greek Cypriots after Greece declared its independence from
6396-628: The use of UK military bases on 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 the island, 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 training. In July and August 1961, there were
6478-535: The validity of car insurance and customs are specified by SBAs' administration. Under Article 2(1) of the Protocol, the SBAs are partially part of the European Union Customs Union in three domains: VAT , agriculture and fisheries. However, the SBAs are already outside the EU. Therefore, concerns have been raised about the future status of about 15,000 Cypriots ( EU citizens ) working in the SBA following
6560-484: The world. Locals claimed the masts would endanger local lives and cause cancer, as well as have a negative effect on wildlife in the area. The British and Cypriot governments jointly commissioned health research from the University of Bristol and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, and that research project reported in 2005 that there was no evidence of health problems being caused by electromagnetic fields from
6642-400: Was 3%. Both Cypriot groups show close genetic affinity to Calabrian (southern Italy) and Lebanese patrilineages. The study states that the genetic affinity between Calabrians and Cypriots can be explained as a result of a common ancient Greek ( Achaean ) genetic contribution, while Lebanese affinity can be explained through several migrations that took place from coastal Levant to Cyprus from
6724-462: Was appropriated for the Latin churches after they were established in the major towns on the island. In addition, tax collection was also part of the heavy oppressive attitude of the occupiers to the locals of the island, in that it was now being conducted by the Latin churches themselves. The Ottoman conquest of Cyprus in 1571 replaced Venetian rule. Despite the inherent oppression of foreign subjugation,
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