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Flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia

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The Union Flag is used in Akrotiri and Dhekelia for official purposes.

The flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, two British military bases on the island of Cyprus, is the United Kingdom's Union Jack. This is because Akrotiri and Dhekelia is a British territory and, unlike all other British Overseas Territories, has no unique flag.

History

The flag of British Cyprus

Akrotiri and Dhekelia formally used the colonial flag of British Cyprus when the whole of Cyprus was under British control. Upon Cypriot independence, the colonial flag ceased to have official usage. No replacement was created for Akrotiri and Dhekelia, as there had been no official grant from the College of Arms.[1] As a result, the Union Jack became the flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia by default.[2]

The Union Jack is flown over all official buildings in Akrotiri and Dhekelia as well as at border checkpoints. The Royal Air Force Ensign was sometimes used as a de facto flag locally because the Royal Air Force ran the bases and also because of local sensitivity towards the Union Jack.[1]

Since the adoption of the flag of Ascension Island in 2013, Akrotiri and Dhekelia is the only remaining British Overseas Territory without its own unique flag.[3][4]

Other flags

The Dhekelia Garrison flag

The Flag of Cyprus is used in Akrotiri and Dhekelia[5] by local residents but has no official status, though is occasionally flown as a courtesy foreign flag.

The Dhekelia Garrison uses a solid green flag charged with two yellow lions, similar to the colonial flag of Cyprus. Both were based on King Richard I of England's coat of arms, because of his conquest and creation of the Kingdom of Cyprus. The yellow lions on green are widely used within the territory; it also appears on the coat of arms of the King Richard School[6] and on the flag of the Dhekelia Sailing Club.[7] The Dhekelia Garrison flag is sometimes cited as an unofficial flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Cyprus: Sovereign Base Areas (United Kingdom)". Crwflags.com. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  2. ^ "Dhekelia". CIA World Facbook. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  3. ^ "Parliament Square Flags". The Flag Institute. 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  4. ^ "Infrastructure Update". The Islander. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  5. ^ "Cyprus flag". Marconis-institute.com. 1960-08-16. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  6. ^ "Home". King Richard School. 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  7. ^ "New Constitution" (PDF). Dhekelia Sailing Club. 2007. Retrieved 2014-05-06. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ "Akrotiri und Dhekelia". Retrieved 2015-01-25.
  9. ^ "Akrotiri and Dhekelia". Retrieved 2015-01-25. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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