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British Indian Ocean Territory Geography
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| Location: |
Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
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| Geographic coordinates: |
6 00 S, 71 30 E
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| Area: |
total:
60 sq km
land:
60 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note:
includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
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| Area - comparative: |
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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| Maritime claims: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
3 NM
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| Climate: |
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
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| Terrain: |
flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
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| Natural resources: |
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
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| Land use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
NA%
other:
NA%
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| Irrigated land: |
0 sq km (1993)
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| Environment - current issues: |
NA
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| 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
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