Capital
Diego Garcia
Region
Africa
Population
N/A
Area (km²)
60
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is a remote British overseas territory comprising the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, with a total land area of just 60 km² and Diego Garcia serving as its administrative capital and primary hub. Classified under the Africa region, it hosts a major US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, but has no permanent civilian population or recorded GDP, making it one of the world's most isolated and strategically vital outposts. Despite its tiny size, BIOT remains embroiled in international disputes over sovereignty and the rights of displaced Chagossian islanders.
The territory covers a relatively small land area of 60 square kilometers, yet its strategic importance is immense due to the presence of the US military base on Diego Garcia. This small land footprint belies its critical role in global military and logistical operations.
Despite being physically located in the central Indian Ocean, BIOT is officially categorized under the 'Africa' region and 'Eastern Africa' subregion. This classification reflects geopolitical and historical administrative groupings rather than strict geographical proximity to the African continent.
With a population of zero and a defined land area of 60 square kilometers, the population density calculation is mathematically zero. This contrasts sharply with almost every other territory globally, highlighting its status as an uninhabited, strategically controlled zone.
Diego Garcia is listed as the capital of BIOT, yet the territory has no permanent population. This creates the unusual scenario of a capital city designation serving purely administrative or military purposes rather than acting as a center for civilian life or governance.
No economic data available
Wikipedia
Comprehensive encyclopedia article
Grokipedia
AI-powered encyclopedia search
Google Search
Latest news and information
Google News
Latest news coverage for British Indian Ocean Territory
CIA World Factbook
Official intelligence data
BBC News
Trusted news and analysis
UN Data
Official United Nations statistics
World Bank Data
Economic and development indicators