British Indian Ocean Territory

Scattered across 640,000 square kilometers of the central Indian Ocean lies one of Earth's most paradoxical territories: pristine coral atolls of staggering natural beauty that no civilian is permitted to visit. The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) comprises the Chagos Archipelago—55 islands grouped into seven atolls, with Diego Garcia as the largest and only inhabited island. Here, turquoise lagoons teem with marine life, white sand beaches stretch endlessly under tropical sun, and somewhere beneath the coconut palms, one of America's most strategically important overseas military installations operates around the clock.

The territory's history is marked by controversy. Between 1968 and 1973, Britain forcibly removed the entire indigenous Chagossian population—approximately 1,500-2,000 people—to make way for the US military base. These islanders, who had lived on the archipelago for generations, were shipped to Mauritius and the Seychelles with minimal compensation. Their struggle for the right to return continues to this day, making BIOT a focal point of debates about colonial legacy, human rights, and military necessity.

For the overwhelming majority of would-be visitors, BIOT exists only in satellite imagery, documentaries, and the accounts of the few who have accessed it—military personnel, approved contractors, and occasional scientific researchers. In 2010, the territory was designated as one of the world's largest marine protected areas, though critics argue this was partly designed to further prevent Chagossian return. This entry documents a place that represents both environmental paradise and human tragedy, strategic necessity and colonial injustice.

The British Indian Ocean Territory was created in 1965 when Britain separated the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius (then still a British colony) specifically to establish a military facility. The somewhat bureaucratic name reflects this administrative origin—it is simply a British territory located in the Indian Ocean, with no connection to any pre-existing political or cultural entity.

The territory's flag features the Union Jack in the canton, with wavy blue and white stripes representing the ocean and a palm tree with crown symbolizing the islands. This relatively recent design (adopted in 1990) replaced earlier generic British colonial flags. The coat of arms shows a palm tree with a crown, supported by sea turtles, with the motto "In tutela nostra Limuria" (Limuria is in our protection).

The indigenous identity of the Chagos Islands belongs to the Chagossians (also known as Îlois or Chagos Islanders), descendants of African slaves and Indian laborers brought to work coconut plantations in the 18th and 19th centuries. They developed their own Creole language, culture, and way of life centered on fishing and copra production. Today, the Chagossian diaspora—approximately 10,000 people in Mauritius, Seychelles, and the UK—continues to identify strongly with their ancestral homeland.

For the territory itself, "identity" is a complex question. It functions primarily as a military installation with no permanent civilian population. The approximately 3,000 people on Diego Garcia are transient military personnel and contractors, not residents with any connection to the land beyond their deployment.

The Chagos Archipelago consists of 55 islands spread across seven atolls in the central Indian Ocean, roughly 500 kilometers south of the Maldives. The total land area is just 60 square kilometers, but the territorial waters encompass approximately 640,000 square kilometers—one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth. The islands sit atop the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, an underwater plateau formed by volcanic activity.

Diego Garcia is by far the largest island, a V-shaped atoll whose lagoon provides a natural deep-water harbor of exceptional strategic value. The island measures 27 kilometers from tip to tip and covers 32 square kilometers. The lagoon—roughly 21 kilometers long and up to 11 kilometers wide—can accommodate aircraft carriers and submarines. Other significant atolls include Peros Banhos, Salomon Islands, Great Chagos Bank, Egmont Islands, and the Three Brothers.

The islands are classic low-lying coral atolls, with maximum elevations of just 4-5 meters above sea level. White sand beaches give way to dense coconut palm groves (planted during the copra plantation era), which in turn surround central lagoons of stunning turquoise water. Coral reefs fringe all the islands, supporting extraordinary marine biodiversity.

The climate is tropical maritime—hot and humid year-round with temperatures averaging 27-29°C. The southwest monsoon (May-September) brings rougher seas and occasional storms; the northeast monsoon (November-March) is calmer. Rainfall is moderate and distributed throughout the year. Cyclones are rare but possible.

The Chagos Islands were uninhabited when Portuguese explorers first mapped them in the early 16th century. French colonization began in the 1770s, with settlers from Mauritius establishing coconut plantations worked by enslaved Africans. Britain took control in 1814 following the Napoleonic Wars, administering the islands as a dependency of Mauritius. Over subsequent generations, a distinct Chagossian community developed—Creole-speaking people of African and Indian descent who made their living from copra production and fishing.

The islands' fate changed dramatically in the 1960s when the United States identified Diego Garcia as an ideal site for a military base. In 1965, Britain created BIOT by separating the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius (in exchange for £3 million compensation), explicitly to facilitate the base construction. Between 1968 and 1973, the entire Chagossian population was forcibly removed. Islanders were told they were leaving temporarily; instead, they were shipped to Mauritius and Seychelles with minimal support.

The US base on Diego Garcia became operational in 1973 and expanded significantly during the Cold War. It served as a staging ground for operations in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The base hosts bomber aircraft, naval vessels, a satellite tracking station, and various intelligence facilities. Its remote location provides both security and strategic reach across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The Chagossians' struggle for justice continues. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that Britain's separation of Chagos from Mauritius was unlawful. A UN General Assembly resolution demanded Britain withdraw within six months. Britain has refused to comply, though negotiations with Mauritius have recently resumed. The Chagossian diaspora continues to fight for the right to return to their homeland.

The indigenous Chagossians developed a unique Creole culture over two centuries of settlement. Their language, Chagossian Creole (Kreol Sagosyen), blended French, English, and African elements. Life centered on coconut plantations, fishing, and a close relationship with the sea. Islanders lived in small settlements on Diego Garcia and the outer atolls, maintaining chickens, pigs, and vegetable gardens alongside their copra work.

Today, there are no permanent civilian residents on any Chagos island. The approximately 3,000 people on Diego Garcia are all US and UK military personnel or contractors on temporary assignments. The Chagossian diaspora—estimated at 10,000 people—lives primarily in Mauritius (Port Louis), the Seychelles, and increasingly in the UK (notably Crawley and Manchester). They maintain their cultural identity through community organizations and continue to campaign for the right to return.

Despite human absence from most islands, BIOT supports extraordinary biodiversity. The marine environment is particularly rich—pristine coral reefs support over 1,000 fish species, including significant shark populations. Green and hawksbill turtles nest on beaches throughout the archipelago. Coconut crabs (the world's largest land-dwelling arthropod) thrive on the outer islands. Seabirds—red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, terns—nest in enormous colonies.

The 2010 designation of the Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA) made the territory one of the world's largest no-take marine reserves. However, critics—including the Chagossians themselves—argue that the MPA was partly designed to prevent their return by banning fishing, their traditional livelihood. A 2015 arbitration tribunal ruled that the UK acted illegally in creating the MPA without consulting Mauritius.

Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island in the archipelago, serving as a joint US-UK military installation officially known as Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. The base occupies much of the 32-square-kilometer atoll, with facilities including a 3,660-meter runway capable of handling B-52 bombers, extensive fuel storage, a deep-water harbor, and accommodation for up to 5,000 personnel (though typical population is around 3,000).

The base's strategic importance cannot be overstated. Its central Indian Ocean location places it within range of the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. B-2 stealth bombers flying from Diego Garcia have conducted missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The harbor supports aircraft carrier battle groups and nuclear submarines. Intelligence facilities monitor communications across a vast region.

Life on base resembles a small American town transplanted to the tropics. There are recreational facilities including a bowling alley, movie theater, gym, and beaches designated for swimming. Personnel typically serve 12-month unaccompanied tours. The base operates its own power plant, desalination facility, and waste management systems. A small number of civilian contractors support base operations.

Security is absolute. The base is off-limits to all unauthorized personnel, and the entire territory is a restricted military zone. Even authorized visitors require extensive clearance. The combination of geographic isolation and strict security has led to Diego Garcia being nicknamed "Fantasy Island" or "Footprint of Freedom" by military personnel who have served there.

In April 2010, the UK declared the Chagos Archipelago a Marine Protected Area—at 640,000 square kilometers, one of the world's largest at the time. The MPA prohibits all extractive activities including commercial fishing, with the stated goal of protecting the pristine marine environment. Scientific studies confirm the reefs are among the healthiest in the Indian Ocean.

The marine environment is exceptionally rich. Research expeditions have documented over 1,000 fish species, including unusually high numbers of predators like sharks. The coral reefs showed remarkable resilience after bleaching events, recovering faster than reefs elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. The deep waters host migrating whales and significant tuna populations.

However, the MPA has faced significant criticism. Mauritius challenged it at an international tribunal, which ruled in 2015 that the UK had acted illegally by not consulting Mauritius before establishing the protected area. Critics, including Chagossian groups, argue the MPA was partly designed to prevent their return by banning the fishing that would be essential to any resettlement. WikiLeaks cables revealed UK officials discussing the MPA as a way to make Chagossian return "difficult if not impossible."

Scientific access is limited but ongoing. Occasional research expeditions receive permits to conduct surveys, and some monitoring continues. The MPA represents a genuine conservation achievement, but its legacy is complicated by the human rights questions it raises and the geopolitical motivations behind its creation.

The legal status of BIOT is hotly contested. Mauritius has claimed sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago since independence in 1968, arguing that Britain illegally separated the islands before granting independence. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion that Britain's separation was unlawful and that decolonization of Mauritius remains incomplete.

In May 2019, the UN General Assembly voted 116-6 (with 56 abstentions) to demand Britain withdraw from the Chagos Islands within six months. Britain has not complied, maintaining that the territory was legally separated and that sovereignty will be transferred to Mauritius "when no longer needed for defense purposes." The US has strongly supported British retention.

In late 2022, the UK and Mauritius began negotiations over the territory's future. While discussions have acknowledged Mauritius's sovereignty claims, any agreement must address the continued operation of the Diego Garcia base—which the US considers essential. The Chagossians themselves have been largely excluded from these negotiations, despite their direct stake in the outcome.

For the Chagossian community, the fight continues on multiple fronts: legal challenges in UK courts, advocacy at the UN, and cultural preservation in the diaspora. Some Chagossians have visited the islands on permitted trips organized by the British government, but full resettlement remains a distant prospect. The outcome of UK-Mauritius negotiations will shape whether Chagossians ever return home.