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British Indian Ocean Territory

General Information about British Indian Ocean Territory

The British Indian Ocean Territory which was first discovered back in the 18th century and is neighboured by the islands of Maldives and Male with the closest neighbouring country's being Sri Lanka and Malaysia. The Chagos Archipelago is included within the British Indian Ocean Territory and consists of fifty-five islands in total.

The island of Diego Garcia is the largest of the group and covers a total area of 174 square kilometres. Diego Garcia is in fact used as a United Kingdom and United States military facility. British Indian Ocean Territory is home to approximately 3,500 residents.

Climate

Find Out About the Climate of the British Indian Ocean Territory

The British Indian Ocean Territory experiences a typical tropical marine climate. The wet season begins in October on the island of Diego Garcia ending in February. The weather can be quite humid at British Indian Ocean Territory but is moderated by the trade winds. The average temperature of Diego Garcia is thirty degrees while the coolest recorded temperature is a pleasant twenty degrees. British Indian Ocean Territory are subsebtical to cyclones and was mildly affected by the tsunami in 2004.

Geography

Geographical Information on the British Indian Ocean Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory are generally flat with the highest point rising to just over fifteen metres. Set within the Indian Ocean just South of India the British Indian Ocean Territory covers a total area of 54,400 square kilometres, with the coastline covering 698 kilometres. The island of Diego Garcia is in fact an atoll and features a lagoon that is approximately 19 kilometres long and thirty metres deep in some parts.

If you are lucky enough to visit Diego Garcia as access to the island is limited then you will notice that the island is home to a variety of wildlife. In particular there are numerous red crabs found all over the island as well as the rare coconut crab is found here. All of the wildlife on the island is protected which to help maintain the islands beauty.

Must Explore would like to wish you an enjoyable stay in British Indian Ocean Territory.

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