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British Indian Ocean Territory:
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Other pages in this profile of the British Indian Ocean Territory:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Definition 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 residents 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 that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. |
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Location |
Definition archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia |
Geographic coordinates |
Definition 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E |
Map references |
Definition Political Map of the World |
Area |
Definition - World rank and map total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands |
Area - comparative |
Definition land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries |
Definition 0 km |
Coastline |
Definition 698 km |
Maritime claims |
Definition territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate |
Definition tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds |
Terrain |
Definition flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) |
Elevation extremes |
Definition lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
Natural resources |
Definition coconuts, fish, sugarcane |
Land use |
Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
Definition 0 sq km |
Natural hazards |
Definition NA |
Environment - current issues |
Definition NA |
Geography - note |
Definition 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 |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |