British Indian Ocean Territory




                                  Header


Affiliation:
     (dependent territory of the UK)


                                 Geography


Location:
     Southern Asia, in the Indian Ocean, south of India about halfway
     between Africa and Indonesia
Map references:
     Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     60 sq km
land area:
     60 sq km
comparative area:
     about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
note:
     includes the island of Diego Garcia
Land boundaries:
     0 km
Coastline:
     698 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     3 nm
International disputes:
     the entire Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius
Climate:
     tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
     flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)
Natural resources:
     coconuts, fish
Land use:
arable land:
     0%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     0%
forest and woodland:
     0%
other:
     100%
Irrigated land:
     0 sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     NA




natural hazards:
     NA
international agreements:
     NA
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


                                  People


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


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
conventional short form:
     none
Abbreviation:
     BIOT
Digraph:
     IO
Type:
     dependent territory of the UK
Capital:
     none
Independence:
     none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch:
chief of state:
     Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government:
     Commissioner Thomas GEORGE (since September 1991); Administrator Mr.
     R. G. WELLS (since NA 1991); note - both reside in the UK
Diplomatic representation in US:
     none (dependent territory of the UK)
US diplomatic representation:
     none (dependent territory of the 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


                                  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:
     provided by the US military


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     NA
paved:
     short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
unpaved:
     NA
Ports:
     Diego Garcia
Airports:
total:
     1
usable:
     1
with permanent-surface runways:
     1
with runways over 3,659 m:
     1 on Diego Garcia
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     0
with runways 1,229-2,439 m:
     0
Telecommunications:
     minimal facilities; broadcast stations (operated by US Navy) - 1 AM, 1
     FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station


                              Defense Forces


Note:
     defense is the responsibility of the UK