Coat of arms of British Indian Ocean Territory

Location of British Indian Ocean Territory

View of Diego Garcia, showing military base.

Map of the British Indian Ocean Territory since 1976

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British Indian Ocean Territory

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, one half the way between Africa and Indonesia. The territory comprises the six atolls of the Chagos Archipelago with over 1,000 individual islands. more...

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The largest island is Diego Garcia, the site of a joint military facility of the United Kingdom and the United States.

History

The Islands of Chagos Archipelago were discovered by Vasco da Gama in the early sixteenth century, then claimed in the eighteenth century by France as a possession of Mauritius. However, in 1810, Mauritius was captured by the United Kingdom, and France ceded the territory in the Treaty of Paris (1814). Agricultural workers migrated to the Islands in the late 19th century, settling on the main island of Diego Garcia and establishing copra plantations.

In 1965, the United Kingdom split the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius, and the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches (Des Roches) from the Seychelles to form the British Indian Ocean Territory. The purpose was to allow the construction of military facilties for the mutual benefit of the United Kingdom and the United States. The islands were formally established as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom on November 8, 1965. On June 23, 1976, Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches were returned to Seychelles as a result of it attaining independence. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago.

The creation of BIOT has been subject to legal controversy, as some legal opinions from international law experts say that the decision to separate the BIOT from Mauritius was illegal because international law does not allow the dismembering of a country before independence. However the decision was taken with the full agreement of the Mauritius Council of Ministers

In 1966, the British Government purchased the privately owned copra plantations, and closed them down, and removed the entire population (known as the Ilois, or Chagossians) of Diego Garcia to Mauritius. In 1971, the United Kingdom and the United States signed a treaty, leasing the island of Diego Garcia to the American military for the purposes of building a large air and naval base on the Island. The deal was important to the United Kingdom, as the United States agreed to give them a substantial discount on the purchase of Polaris nuclear missiles in return for the lease. The strategic location of the Island was also significant at the center of the Indian Ocean, and to counter any Soviet threat in the region.

Work on the military base commenced in 1971, with a large airbase with several long range runways constructed, as well as a harbour suitable for large naval vessels. Although classed as a joint UK/US base, in practice it is mainly staffed by the American military, although a small British garrison is maintained at all times, and Royal Air Force long range patrol aircraft are deployed there. The United States Air Force used the base during the 1991 Gulf War and the 2001 war in Afghanistan, as well as the 2003 Iraq War.

Read more at Wikipedia.org





	British Indian Ocean Terr. 1968 Set to 10R Mint £4.99	British Indian Ocean Territory 1975 Unmounted Mint £2.95

	Pow Camp Ahmednagar Censorship Stamp 1915 Germany £1.99	B.I.O.T 2008 90 Years Of Rememberance Sheet Mint £2.00

	Br Indian Ocean Territory 90th Birthday Of Queen Mum Um £1.50	B.I.O.T. 2001 Sea Stars Sg 253/6 Mnh £3.99

	B.I.O.T.2008 90th Anniv of Raf set New Issue Mnh £3.25	B.I.O.T. 1998 80th Anniversary of Raf M.S.Sg219 Mnh £2.25

	B.I.O.T. 1997 Ships Ocean Wave Sheetlet Sg 202-13 Mnh £6.25	B.I.O.T. 1997 Golden Wedding M.S. Sg 201 Mnh £3.25

	B.I.O.T. 1993 Christmas Sg141/44 Mnh £2.25	B.I.O.T. 1992 Visiting Aircraft Sg124/7 Mnh £2.75

	B.I.O.T. 1992 40th Anniv.of Accession Sg 119/23 Mnh £4.99	B.I.O.T - 1992 Aircraft 34p & 54p Corner Blocks 6 U.M. £3.50

	B.I.O.T. 1990 Birds Definitives Sg 90/101 Mnh £10.50	B.I.O.T. 2001 Hong Kong Butterfly M.S.Sg246 Mnh £1.45

	B.I.O.T. 2000 Queen Mothers 100th B/day M.S.Sg242 Mnh £2.50	B.I.O.T. 2000 Queen Mothers 100th B/day Sg240/1 Mnh £1.40

	Biot:1976 Cover 5 values,cancelled Tpo Nordvaer Cat.£+ £1.99	B.I.O.T. 1960 20p Block Of 6 Flag Stamps Um, Mnh £13.19

	British Indian Ocean Terr 2008 Sea Cucumber S/Let Mnh £18.50	50th Anniversary of Wwii British Indian Ocean Territory £6.00

	British Indian Ocean Ter 2008 Sea Cucumbers New Mnh £4.50	Br Indian Ocean Terr; Complete Used Set, s.g.1/15. 1968 £19.00

	B.I.O.T. 2007 Charles Darwin Anniversary Mnh £4.30	B.I.O.T.-1998-80Th Anniversary Of Raf Sg215-218-Mnh £2.30

	B.I.O.T.-1993-75Th Anniversary Of Raf Sg136-39-Mnh £2.50	B.I.O.T. -1998-80Th Anniversary Of Raf Sgms219-Mnh £1.90

	B.I.O.T. 1993 75th Anniversary of Raf Sg136/9 Mnh £2.90	British Indian Ocean Ter 2008 90th Anniv.of Raf S/S Mnh £3.50

	B.I.O.T. 1991 Admistration set Sg111/4 Mnh £3.99	B.I.O.T. 1991 Visiting Ships Sg 115/8 Mnh £4.75

	B.I.O.T. 2001 Submarines sheetlet Sg247-252 Mnh £3.75	2001 Biot. The Submarines Miniature Sheet, Un. Mint £7.00

	British Indian Ocean Terr Sg1/15 1968 Definitives Mnh £23.00	British Indian Ocean Terr Sg90/101 1990 Birds Def Mnh £14.99

	Biot 1975 Seashore Plants Illust.First Day Cover Tpo £9.00

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