Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the
way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E
Map references:
Political Map of the World
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
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
698 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 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:
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use:
arable land: NEGL
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
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