ARCHIVE // IO // 1993

British Indian Ocean Territory

1993 Edition — territory

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 1993 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Airports [time series]
total: 1 usable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 on Diego Garcia with runways 2,439-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,229-2,439 m: 0
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
Ports [time series]
Diego Garcia
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
minimal facilities; broadcast stations (operated by US Navy) - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Affiliation [time series]
(dependent territory of the UK)
Note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Economy
Electricity [time series]
provided by the US military
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
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.
Geography
Area [time series]
total area: 60 km2 land area: 60 km2 comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes the island of Diego Garcia
Climate [time series]
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline [time series]
698 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
archipelago of 2,300 islands
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
the entire Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius
Irrigated land [time series]
0 km2
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location [time series]
in the Indian Ocean, south of India about halfway between Africa and Indonesia
Map references [time series]
Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources [time series]
coconuts, fish
Note [time series]
Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Terrain [time series]
flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)
Government
Abbreviation [time series]
BIOT
Capital [time series]
none
Digraph [time series]
IO
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
none (dependent territory of UK)
Flag [time series]
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
Independence [time series]
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Commissioner Mr. T. G. HARRIS (since NA); Administrator Mr. R. G. WELLS (since NA 1991); note - both reside in the UK
Country name (Names) [time series]
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none
Government type (Type) [time series]
dependent territory of the UK
People
Population [time series]
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