Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Location
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates
6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Map references
Political Map of the World
Area
total
54,400 sq km
land
60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km
water
54,340 sq km
note
includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative
land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
698 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
3 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain
flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point
unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use
arable land
0%
permanent crops
0%
other
100% (2005)
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Natural hazards
NA
Environment - current issues
NA
Geography - note
archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Population
no indigenous inhabitants
Country name
conventional long form
British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form
none
abbreviation
BIOT
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive branch
chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government
Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia
cabinet
NA
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description
white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy - overview
All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - production
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption
NA kWh
Currency (code)
both the British Pound (GBP) and the US Dollar (USD) are accepted
Telephones - main lines in use
NA
Telephone system
general assessment
separate facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic
all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet
international
international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
NA
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
NA
Internet country code
.io
Internet hosts
65 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Airports
1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
1
over 3,047 m
1 (2006)
Roadways
total
NA
paved
short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
Ports and terminals
Diego Garcia
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Disputes - international
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
