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British Indian Ocean Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory
General information
Common nameBritish Indian Ocean Territory
Motto"In tutela nostra Limuria" (Latin)
"Limuria is in our charge"
AnthemGod Save the Queen (official)
'National Song:'"I Vow to Thee, My Country" (official national song)
CapitalDiego Garcia
Largest cityDiego Garcia
Official languagesEnglish
Ethnic groups95.88% British and American 4.12% other
Government
GovernmentBritish Overseas Territory
QueenHM Queen Elizabeth II
CommissionerColin Roberts
AdministratorJohn McManus
CreatedCreated (1965)
Geography
Total Area23.2 sq mi (60.1 km2) (n/a)
Water %99.89
Demography
Population Est.4000 (n/a)
Density (pop.)61.8/km2 (n/a) (160.0/sq mi)
Economy
Other information
CurrencyU.S. Dollar (USD)
Drives on theright
Internet TLD.io
Calling code246

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The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) or Chagos Islands 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 (Phehandweep in Hindi and other North Indian languages, Paeikaana Theevukal in Tamil, Feyhandheebu in Dhivehi) with over 1,000 individual islands (many tiny) having a total land area of 60 km2 (23.2 sqmi).

The largest island is Diego Garcia (area 44 km2), the site of a joint military facility of the United Kingdom and the United States. Following the eviction of the native population (Chagossians) in the 1960s, the only inhabitants are US and British military personnel and associated contractors, who collectively number around 4,000 (2004 figures).


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