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 Match 37   DB Rec# - 7,489  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :British Indian Ocean Territory 
Text          : 
                         British Indian Ocean Territory 
 
                                     Header 
 
Affiliation: 
    (dependent territory of the UK) 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from 
    Africa to Indonesia 
Map references: 
    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: 
    British Indian Ocean Territory 
  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 Mr. D. R. MACLENNAN); Administrator Mr. David Smith; 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 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    NA 
  paved: 
    short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia 
  unpaved: 
    NA 
Ports: 
    Diego Garcia 
Airports: 
  total: 
    1 
  with paved runways over 3,047 m: 
    1 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    NA telephones; minimal facilities 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 


    AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    1 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Note: 
    defense is the responsibility of the UK 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996