2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Airports
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) British Indian Ocean Territory Military
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
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 resident 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 which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. British Indian Ocean Territory Geography
Climate
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline
698 km
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international
the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius and Seychelles
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. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption
NA kWh British Indian Ocean Territory Communications
Electricity - production
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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 British Indian Ocean Territory Economy
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 British Indian Ocean Territory People
Highways
total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Internet country code
.io
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000) British Indian Ocean Territory Transportation
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%
Legal system
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 British Indian Ocean Territory Transnational Issues
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
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 around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia British Indian Ocean Territory Government
Ports and harbors
Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
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)
Telephones - main lines in use
NA
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
NA
Terrain
flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Waterways
none