Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E;note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 60 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 60 sq km (44 Diego Garcia)
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 54,340 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 230

Area - comparative:
land area is about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
698 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
Environment (Protection and Preservation) Zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - Environment (Protection and Preservation) Zone country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
flat and low (most areas do not exceed two m in elevation)

Elevation:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: ocean-side dunes on Diego Garcia 9 m

Natural resources:
coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use:
agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 100% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
none; located outside routes of Indian Ocean cyclones

Environment - current issues:
wastewater discharge into the lagoon on Diego Garcia

Geography - note:

note 1: archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, the largest and southernmost island, occupies a strategic location in the central Indian Ocean; the island is the site of a joint US-UK military facility

note 2: Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT and one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being Gibraltar