87 lines
6.9 KiB
Plaintext
87 lines
6.9 KiB
Plaintext
BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
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(dependent territory of the UK)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 60 km2; land area: 60 km2
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Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 698 km
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Maritime claims:
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Territorial sea: 3 nm
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Disputes: the entire Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius
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Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
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Terrain: flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)
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Natural resources: coconuts, fish
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Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
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Environment: archipelago of 2,300 islands
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Note: Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies
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strategic location in central Indian Ocean
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PEOPLE
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Population: no permanent civilian population; formerly about 3,000
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islanders
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Ethnic divisions: civilian inhabitants, known as the Ilois,
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evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK and US defense
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facilities
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: British Indian Ocean Territory (no short-form
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name); abbreviated BIOT
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Type: dependent territory of the UK
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Capital: none
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
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Head of Government--Commissioner and Administrator R. EDIS
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(since NA 1988); note--resides in the UK
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Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory
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of the UK)
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Flag: white with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
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quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a palm tree and
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yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
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ECONOMY
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Overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest
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island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.
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Construction projects and various services needed to support the military
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installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK and
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the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the
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islands.
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Electricity: provided by the US military
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on
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Diego Garcia
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Ports: Diego Garcia
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Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways over 3,659 m on Diego
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Garcia
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Telecommunications: minimal facilities; stations (operated by the
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US Navy)--1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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