The Akrotiri Peninsula is a short peninsula which includes the southernmost point of the island of

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

. It is bounded by

Episkopi Bay Episkopi Bay ( el, Κόλπος Επισκοπής; tr, Piskobu Körfezi) is a bay on the south-western shore of Cyprus, between Paphos and Akrotiri. It is famous for its beaches and fish restaurants. Despite the Turkish invasion and ensuing ...

to the west and

Akrotiri Bay Akrotiri Bay ( el, Κόλπος Ακρωτηρίου, ''Kolpos Akrotiriou''; tr, Limasol Körfezi) is a part of the Mediterranean Sea east of the Akrotiri Peninsula on the southern coast of the island of Cyprus. The Western Sovereign Base Ar ...

to the east and has two capes to the south-west and south-east, known as Cape Zevgari and

Cape Gata Cape Gata ( "cat cape", "falcon cape") is the south-eastern cape of the Akrotiri Peninsula on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located within the British Sovereign Base Area Akrotiri and Dhekelia, officially the Sovereign Base ...

. The most prominent features of the peninsula are the

Akrotiri Salt Lake Limassol Salt Lake (also known as Akrotiri Salt Lake) is the largest inland body of water on the island of Cyprus, in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, United Kingdom, an overseas territory. It lies due south-west of the sprawling city of Limassol and measu ...

and the

aerodrome An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publi ...

, which is

RAF Akrotiri RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compri ...

and

Limassol BBC Relay The British East Mediterranean Relay Station (also known as BEMRS) was one of the most powerful broadcasting stations in Cyprus. The medium wave transmitters were situated south of Limassol west of Lady's Mile Beach on the area of Western Sovere ...

. In December 2018, a Byzantine church with

mosaics A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

including inscriptions in perfect condition dating back to the reign of

Emperor Heraclius Heraclius ( grc-gre, Ἡράκλειος, Hērákleios; c. 575 – 11 February 641), was Eastern Roman emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, led a revolt ...

was discovered during the twelfth excavation season by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprusat the site of

Katalymata ton Plakoton Katalymata ton Plakoton ( el, Καταλύματα των Πλακωτών) is an archeological site in the vicinity of Akrotiri, on the island of Cyprus. The first archaeological surveys began in 2007-2010 by the Department of Antiquities of Cy ...

, according to an Athens Macedonia News Agency. The Greek Christian inscription described a text “''My Lord help those who honor your name''”.

Environment

The peninsula, including a variety of

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (Anoxic waters, anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in t ...

s, coastal scrub, dunes and the Episkopi cliffs, has been recognised as an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Inte ...

(IBA) by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

because it supports breeding, wintering or passage migrant populations of several bird species. The wetlands to the north of the

contain evidence for

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

climate change.

References

{{cyprus-geo-stub Peninsulas of Cyprus Important Bird Areas of Cyprus