0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
698 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources:
coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
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

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military
personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego
Garcia (July 2006 est.)

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,
resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both
reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is
in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the stripe