Map of British Indian Ocean Territory | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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 resident in the islands were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles between 1967 and 1973.


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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 reference: World

Area
Total: 60 km²
Land: 60 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Comparative: 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
Extremes 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 km² (1993)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
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


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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

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages

Religions

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
Conventional short form: none
Abbreviation: BIOT

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952): ead of
Government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994); Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); note_both reside in the UK
Cabinet: NA
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and administrator appointed by the queen

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Capacity: NA kW
Capacity note: electricity supplied by the US military
Production: NA kWh
Production note: electricity supplied by the US military
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: NA

Telephone system: facilities for military needs only
Domestic: NA
International: NA

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by Mauritius; the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Seychelles

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs