The Sovereign Base Territories of Akrotiri and Dekelia are two British administered territories on the island of Cyprus that are part of the Sovereign Base Territories, which are the UK's overseas territory. These parts remained under British jurisdiction and remain British sovereign territory after the change of status of Cyprus from a colony of the British Empire to an independent Commonwealth Republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.
By the 1960 Treaty of Founding, Cyprus gained independence from Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom. However, the UK retained sovereignty over certain areas of Cyprus to use as its military bases. These bases are managed by the Sovereign Administration, which reports to the UK Ministry of Defense in London. The UK is responsible for the defense of these bases. Akrotiri, also known as the Western Sovereign Zone, is a full-fledged air force base and the headquarters of the British forces in Cyprus. The bases' administration works with three main policy objectives: efficient use of the bases, cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus, and protection of the bases' residents. Only Cypriot citizens and British military personnel and their families are allowed to live on the bases.
Cyprus was a British protectorate and Crown colony until 1960, when it gained independence. Since 1922, the colonial flag of British Cyprus, which included Acrotiri and Dekelia, has been used on the territory of Cyprus. However, after Cyprus' independence, a separate flag was not created for Akrotiri and Dekelia. Therefore, the Union Jack remained the flag. This flag is flown over official buildings, border crossings and is sometimes used as the de facto flag of the Royal Air Force. This decision was made by the leadership of the military forces of Akrotiri and Dekelia, as well as because of the local population's attachment to the British flag.
Akrotiri and Dekelia are British overseas territories that do not have an official flag. The unofficial flag of Akrotiri and Dekelia is often considered to be a green flag with two golden lions. This flag is used by the garrison in Dekelia and is derived from the colonial flag of Cyprus. The golden lions are derived from the coat of arms of the English King Richard I, due to his conquest of Cyprus and the creation of the Kingdom of Cyprus. The golden lions on green are widely used in the territory and also appear on the coat of arms of King Richard's School and on the flag of the Dekelia Sailing Club.
