British Indian Ocean Territory

Airports

total: 1 usable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 on Diego Garcia with runways 2,439-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,229-2,439 m: 0

Highways

short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia

Ports

Diego Garcia

Telecommunications

minimal facilities; broadcast stations (operated by US Navy) - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Affiliation

(dependent territory of the UK)

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Electricity

provided by the US military

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.

Area

total area: 60 km2 land area: 60 km2 comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes the island of Diego Garcia

Climate

tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Coastline

698 km

Environment

archipelago of 2,300 islands

International disputes

the entire Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius

Irrigated land

0 km2

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Location

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

Map references

Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

coconuts, fish

Note

Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

Terrain

flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)

Abbreviation

BIOT

Capital

none

Digraph

IO

Diplomatic representation in US

none (dependent territory of UK)

Flag

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

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Leaders

Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Commissioner Mr. T. G. HARRIS (since NA); Administrator Mr. R. G. WELLS (since NA 1991); note - both reside in the UK

Names

conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none

Type

dependent territory of the UK

Population

no indigenous inhabitants note: there are UK-US military personnel; civilian inhabitants, known as the Ilois, evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK-US military facilities