Cyprus has made the news recently, and not necessarily for the best reasons. Its British sovereign base area (SBA), RAF Akrotiri, was attacked by drones sent from Lebanon, which has led to questions about how well defended it all is, and why the British are there anyway.
There was also the embarrassment of the French sending an aircraft carrier to defend the island when the Royal Navy was short of a ship in the right place.
Although no-one was hurt, Paphos Airport was closed briefly and families were briefly put up in hotels. This may all make you wonder if Cyprus would be a good move right now.
Let’s put your mind at rest. Firstly, things are much calmer than the news suggests. Daily living continues unchanged. Very few were evacuated and even then not for long. We have not been rushing to bomb shelters or anything like that.
Cyprus’s cafes, restaurants, schools, businesses and supermarkets are open. Life carries on normally across the island.
Still, for property buyers thinking about buying property and living near RAF Akrotiri, or any of the other SBAs in Cyprus, here’s some helpful information about the British base and its purpose, and the advantages of having a British base so close.
What are these bases?
Akrotiri and Dhekelia are the two main SBAs in Cyprus. You will also hear mention of Episkopi, which is another large military area but this one largely operates administratively for the British Forces.
Cyprus was a British colony until 1960. It gained independence from British rule in 1960, after quite a violent armed struggle in the late 1950s. The British insisted that British bases be set up on the island as a condition of Cyprus’s independence.
These bases are still owned by the British crown (or ‘sovereign’) Britain and used by British Forces Cyprus (BFC). Cyprus itself is protected by the British base personnel.
Of the two bases, Akrotiri is the most strategically located because it’s the gateway to the Middle East region. RAF Akrotiri is, as the name suggests, predominantly air force. But there is a small percentage of other military stationed there. As well as military operations by the British, Cyprus has used RAF Akrotiri for evacuation and humanitarian missions, for example in the recent Israel/Gaza war.
As you will have seen on the news, there are also American forces using the base, under British agreement. Another facet is the Search and Rescue (SAR) and Aerial Fire Fighting (AFF) services, aiding the Republic of Cyprus.
Background facts about RAF Akrotiri
For property buyers thinking about living near RAF Akrotiri Cyprus it would be helpful to know some things specific to the base.
The main base is on the southern coast, on a kind of peninsula near Limassol, around 65 kilometres from Paphos.
The SBAs cover around 100 square miles, or 3% of the island total. These are not bases within the Republic of Cyprus, but part of Britain. As such they are outside the European Union.
In numbers, the British military presence on Cyprus amounts to around 3,500, plus 7,000 civilians which can include families as well as other workers at the base. In total around 90,000 British people live on the island, so it’s some 15% or so of the British presence.
Military postings are for two or three years and so the British community at the base changes, bringing new faces to the island, and that means new friends.
The Cypriot village within Britain
When the SBAs were set up, the question was, what to do with the Cypriots already living there? The idea was that they would be compensated for leaving. However, many wanted to stay, as they had farms there, had long history there or felt more comfortable being part of Britain. So within the SBA, indeed at the end of the runway, is a normal village filled with a thousand-or-so Cypriots and Brits.
Friends of mine who live there say that living in Akrotiri village feels perfectly normal. It is a ‘little Britain’, but you’re living solely among British military servicemen and servicewomen.
There are no fences or gates cutting you off, and because you’ll find the supermarkets stocked with wide-ranging UK products, the rest of us will occasionally pop over to stock up.
So you can have your British comforts right here in Cyprus. ll of this helps towards settling into your new home and lifestyle.
Education/Family life
While there are well-established schools on both bases, including Episkopi, these are used mostly by the British military personnel. Even if you have no connection to the base you are allowed to apply to these schools.
Nevertheless, RAF Akrotiri is only a 20-minute drive to Limassol town, where there are five or six private English-speaking schools. This is where most non-military British children attend. There’s a good mix of British and Cypriot pupils along with other international students at these schools so children can learn about different lifestyles and cultures as well as receive sound academic learning.
These schools, like those on the base, all follow the UK curriculum. Similarly, because the distance to Limassol is short, families can easily visit coastal Limassol town to meet up with friends and enjoy recreational activities.
Solid community living
Quite a few military personnel choose to live outside the base. They rent their homes in the normal way. After their posting ends, some military personnel choose to stay living here. They don’t want to leave Cyprus’s warm climate and easy lifestyle, and if retiring young, there are much worse places to live.
So the property market is stable as people buy property or even start businesses there.So you can be sure that your home will be near other British people and you won’t feel isolated. Friends say that in their experience they actually feel protected.
The other side of the coin
Living near RAF Akrotiri Cyprus does have a couple of downsides. You will sometimes hear the aircraft noise if your property is close to the base itself. But friends say you become accustomed to this before long and it doesn’t intrude.
And while living in an established British and Cypriot community is very positive, you could become so cocooned with everything you need at your fingertips that you forget to enjoy the other parts of Cyprus.
So don’t forget to take trips to Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca coastal towns for water sport activities and to meet with friends in the cafes and restaurants while enjoying a great meal. Or visit Cyprus’s Troodos mountains to sample the cool pine forests and the village life there for a while.
So, if you’re worried about the presence of the base, here are some key takeaways. First, you simply need to understand what the base is and its purpose, and then you will be reassured that there is no need to worry about its presence near your home.
Second, think of it as being in the background, a protective force that gives you familiarity with the many British influences it brings.
Third, living near RAF Akrotiri Cyprus ensures you are surrounded by a stable community of British military personnel and local Cypriot residents that bring a blend of both cultures to your Cyprus lifestyle.
