British Indian Ocean - Travel Rooms and Hotels

The National Capital of British Indian Ocean is: Diego Garcia
British Indian Ocean Area in Square Kilometers: 60.0
Population Statistics of British Indian Ocean are: 0
British Indian Ocean is located in the continent of Asia. The Asia continent code is AS

British Indian Ocean Territory

Motto
"In tutela nostra Limuria" (Latin)
"Limuria is in our charge"
Anthem
God Save the Queen


Capital
(and largest city) Diego Garcia
Official languages English
Government British Overseas Territory
- Commissioner Leigh Turner
- Administrator Tony Humphries
Created 1965
Area
- Total 60 km² (n/a)
23.2 sq mi
- Water (%) 0
Population
- estimate 3,500 (n/a)
- Density 58.3/km² (n/a)
160.0/sq mi
Currency Pound sterling1 (GBP)
Time zone (UTC+6)
- Summer (DST) (UTC+?)
Internet TLD .io
Calling code +246
1 U.S. dollar also accepted.
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia. The territory comprises the six atolls of the Chagos Archipelago with over 1,000 individual islands.

The largest island is Diego Garcia, the site of a joint military facility of the United Kingdom and the United States.

History
The Islands of Chagos Archipelago were discovered by Vasco da Gama in the early sixteenth century, then claimed in the eighteenth century by France as a possession of Mauritius. However, in 1810, Mauritius was captured by the United Kingdom, and France ceded the territory in the Treaty of Paris. Agricultural workers migrated to the Islands in the late nineteenth century, settling on the main island of Diego Garcia and establishing copra plantations.

In 1965, the United Kingdom split the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius, and the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches (Des Roches) from the Seychelles to form the British Indian Ocean Territory. The purpose was to allow the construction of military facilities for the mutual benefit of the United Kingdom and the United States. The islands were formally established as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom on November 8, 1965. On June 23, 1976, Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches were returned to Seychelles as a result of it attaining independence. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago.

The creation of BIOT has been subject to legal controversy, as some legal opinions from international law experts[citation needed] say that the decision to separate the BIOT from Mauritius was illegal because international law does not allow the dismembering of a country before independence. However the decision was taken with the full agreement of the Mauritius Council of Ministers.

In 1966, the British Government purchased the privately owned copra plantations, and closed them down, and removed the entire population (known as the Chagossians, or Ilois) of Diego Garcia to Mauritius. In 1971, the United Kingdom and the United States signed a treaty, leasing the island of Diego Garcia to the American military for the purposes of building a large air and naval base on the Island. The deal was important to the United Kingdom, as the United States agreed to give them a substantial discount on the purchase of Polaris nuclear missiles in return for the lease[citation needed]. The strategic location of the Island was also significant at the centre of the Indian Ocean, and to counter any Soviet threat in the region.


View of Diego Garcia, showing military base.Work on the military base commenced in 1971, with a large airbase with several long range runways constructed, as well as a harbour suitable for large naval vessels. Although classed as a joint UK/US base, in practice it is mainly staffed by the American military, although a British garrison is maintained at all times, and Royal Air Force long range patrol aircraft are deployed there. The United States Air Force used the base during the 1991 Gulf War and the 2001 war in Afghanistan, as well as the 2003 Iraq War.

During the 1980s, the Mauritian Government asserted a claim to sovereignty for the territory, citing the 1965 separation as illegal under international law, despite their apparent agreement at the time. The Seychelles also launched a sovereignty claim on several of the Islands.

The Ilois, who now reside in Mauritius and the Seychelles have continually asserted their right to return to Diego Garcia, winning an important legal victory in the English High Court of Justice in 2000. This judgement was not appealed by the British Government, who subsequently, however, attempted to reverse the effect of the judgement by a new Order-in-Council in June 2004.

On 11 May 2006 the High Court ruled that the Order-in-Council was unlawful, and consequently that the Ilois were entitled to return to the Chagos Archipelago.[1][2] On 23 May 2007, this was confirmed by the Court of Appeal, who refused permission to appeal to the House of Lords. It is not yet known if the Government will seek permission to appeal directly from the House of Lords.[3]

The Ilois were granted the right to visit Diego Garcia on April 3, 2006 for humanitarian purposes, including the tending of the graves of their ancestors

British Indian Ocean Territory