British Indian Ocean Territory Geography:
Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
60 sq km
land:
60 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note: Includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative:
About 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
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 four meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 15 m on Diego Garcia
Natural resources:
Coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - Note:
Archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility |
