Geography of British Indian Ocean Territory
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Location:
- archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Area:
- total: 60 sq km
- note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
- water: 0 sq km
- land: 60 sq km
Area - comparative:
- about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline:
- 698 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982:
- 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 on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources:
Land use:
- arable land: NEGL
- permanent crops: 0%
- other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
- 0 sq km (1998 est.)
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