Short facts about the geography of British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:

Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references:

World

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:

0 km

Coastline:

698 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive fishing zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  3 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 on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources:

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use:

arable land:  0% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  0% forests and woodland:  NA% other:  NA%

Irrigated land:

0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

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

Source: World Factbook