1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area-comparative
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline
698 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography-note
archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Location
Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references
World
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
coconuts, fish
Terrain
flat and low (up to four meters in elevation)
People and Society
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are UK-US military personnel and civilian contractors; approximately 3,000 native inhabitants, known as the Chagosians or Ilois, were evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK-US military facilities
Government
Country name
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Data code
IO
Dependency status
dependent territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994); Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); note-both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and administrator appointed by the queen Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag description
white with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Legal system
NA
Economy
Economy-overview
All economic activity is concentrated on the largest 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.
Electricity-capacity
NA kW note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity-consumption per capita
NA kWh Communications
Electricity-production
NA kWh note: electricity supplied by the US military
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios
NA
Telephone system
facilities for military needs only domestic: NA international: NA
Telephones
NA
Television broadcast stations
1
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Airports
1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia
Military and Security
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by Mauritius; the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Seychelles (dependent territory of the UK)