from
CIA World Factbook 2006
British Indian Ocean Territory
Introduction
Background: 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.
Geography
Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about
one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
coordinates:
Map Political Map of the World
references:
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 - land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 698 km
Maritime territorial sea: 3 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural coconuts, fish, sugarcane
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated 0 sq km
land:
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - NA
current
issues:
Geography - archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and
note: southernmost island, occupies strategic location in
central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK
military facility
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers
resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to
as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius
and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November
2000 they were granted the right of return by a British
High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US
military personnel and civilian contractors living on
the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT
Dependency overseas territory of the UK; administered by a
status: commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office in London
Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since
January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since
February 2005); note - both reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
from the US:
Flag white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag
description: 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
Economy - All economic activity is concentrated on the largest
overview: island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense
facilities are located. Construction projects and
various services needed to support the military
installations are done 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 Ilois return, they
plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and
postage stamps.
Electricity - NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
production:
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Currency both the British Pound (GBP) and the US Dollar (USD)
(code): are accepted
Communications
Telephones - NA
main lines in
use:
Telephone general assessment: separate facilities for military
system: 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 AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: NA
Television 1 (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .io
country code:
Internet 65 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Transportation
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: NA
paved: short section of paved road between port and
airfield on Diego Garcia
Ports and Diego Garcia
terminals:
Military
Military - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease
note: on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago
international: including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants
of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now
residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK
citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK
resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return
to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the
exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that
restricts access to the largest island in the chain;