Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: 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
@British Indian Ocean Territory:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are UK-US military personnel and civilian contractors; approximately 3,000 native inhabitants, known as the Chagosians or Ilois, were evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK-US military facilities
@British Indian Ocean Territory:Government
Country name: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Data code: IO
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system: NA
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994); Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); note-both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and administrator appointed by the queen