The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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СКАЧАТЬ a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Goverment by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of the Chagossians.

      Geography

       British Indian Ocean Territory

      Location:

      archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia

      Geographic coordinates:

      6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

      Map references:

      Political Map of the World

      Area:

      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:

      land area is about 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, approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia

      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 Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008); Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia 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 striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

      Economy

       British Indian Ocean Territory

      Economy - overview:

      All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory earns foreign exchange by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.

      Electricity - production:

      NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

      Electricity - consumption:

      NA kWh

      Currency (code):

      US Dollar (USD)

      Communications

       British Indian Ocean Territory

      Telephones - main lines in use:

      NA

      Telephone СКАЧАТЬ