British Indian Ocean Territory source: CIA World Factbook 1998 (dependent territory of the UK) |
Location: Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E
Map references: World
Area:
total: 60 sq km
land: 60 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Areacomparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 698 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: flat and low (up to four meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources: coconuts, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environmentcurrent issues: NA
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographynote: 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
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are UK-US military personnel and civilian contractors; approximately
3,000 native inhabitants, known as the Chagosians or Ilois, were evacuated to Mauritius
before construction of UK-US military facilities
Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT
Data code: IO
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system: NA
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994);
Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); noteboth reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and administrator
appointed by the queen
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag description: 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
Economyoverview: 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.
Electricitycapacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricityproduction: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricityconsumption per capita: NA kWh
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: facilities for military needs only
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego
Garcia
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Militarynote: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Disputesinternational: the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by Mauritius; the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Seychelles
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