2010 Edition

Background

Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later 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. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return for the Chagossians.

Area

land

60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km

total

54,400 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

Climate

tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Coastline

698 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

Location

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia

Map references

Political Map of the World

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Terrain

flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)

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 2004, approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia

Country name

abbreviation

BIOT

conventional long form

British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form

none

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)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

none; the monarchy is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch

head of government

Commissioner Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008); Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia

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 (the symbols of the territory) centered on the outer half of the flag; the wavy stripes represent the Indian Ocean; although not officially described, the six blue stripes may stand for the six main atolls of the archipelago

Legal system

the laws of the UK where applicable apply

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. The territory earns foreign exchange by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Broadcast media

Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) broadcasts over 3 separate frequencies for US and UK military personnel stationed on the islands (2009)

Internet country code

.io

Internet hosts

827 (2010)

Telephone system

domestic

all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet

general assessment

separate facilities for military and public needs are available

international

country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Airports

1 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Diego Garcia

Roadways

note: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

Military branches

no regular military forces

Disputes - international

Mauritius claims 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 2007, the UK Court of Appeals upheld the May 2006 High Court of London judgment reversing the UK 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 page last updated on November 17, 2010 ======================================================================