British Indian Ocean Territory
Africa ยท Capital: Diego Garcia
How it is run: British Indian Ocean Territory is a territory or observer, so some decisions about it are made elsewhere. The research links below explain who is in charge.
British Indian Ocean Territory is home to a community in Eastern Africa, where people speak English.
Numbers that tell a story ๐ข
๐ฅ People
Not counted in world data
๐บ๏ธ Land
60 kmยฒ
Smaller than most big cities โ you could cross it in an afternoon.
๐๏ธ How crowded
Not enough data
๐ Size in its region
Part of Africa
59th largest by land in Africa.
๐ฃ๏ธ Official languages
English
๐ฐ Money
United States dollar ($)
Everyday details ๐งญ
๐ Phone code
+246
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
๐ Websites end in
.io
๐ง People here are called
Indian
๐ท๏ธ Name at home
British Indian Ocean Territory
๐ Coast or inland
Has a coastline
๐๏ธ UN voting group
Not a UN member
Neighbours & borders ๐ค
British Indian Ocean Territory has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world ๐ฃ๏ธ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Territorio Britรกnico del Ocรฉano รndico
French
Territoire britannique de l'ocรฉan Indien
Arabic
ุฅูููู ุงูู ุญูุท ุงูููุฏู ุงูุจุฑูุทุงูู
Chinese
่ฑๅฑๅฐๅบฆๆด้ขๅฐ
Japanese
ใคใฎใชใน้ ใคใณใๆดๅฐๅ
Russian
ะัะธัะฐะฝัะบะฐั ัะตััะธัะพัะธั ะฒ ะะฝะดะธะนัะบะพะผ ะพะบะตะฐะฝะต
Portuguese
Territรณrio Britรขnico do Oceano รndico
German
Britisches Territorium im Indischen Ozean
Put it in perspective ๐
- All of British Indian Ocean Territory would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
Fast facts ๐ง
Fact of the day: British Indian Ocean Territory shares its part of the world with Uganda. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
๐ท๏ธ Official name
British Indian Ocean Territory
๐๏ธ Capital
Diego Garcia
๐ Region
Africa ยท Eastern Africa
๐ค Country code
IO
๐๏ธ UN status
Not a UN member state
๐ฉ Independence
Linked territory
More about British Indian Ocean Territory ๐
๐งญ Where on the map
6.0ยฐ S, 71.5ยฐ E
๐ Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
๐ฐ๏ธ Clock check
Roughly UTC+5 โ when it is noon in London it is about 17:00 in Diego Garcia.
- British Indian Ocean Territory is not a full UN member state, so it doesn't get its own vote in the General Assembly.
- ๐ฎ๐ด is the flag of British Indian Ocean Territory. Its country code โ the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics โ is IO.
- The capital of British Indian Ocean Territory is Diego Garcia โ that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- British Indian Ocean Territory shares its part of the world with Uganda. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- British Indian Ocean Territory is a territory linked to another country, so some decisions are made elsewhere.
Countries nearby ๐ค
Talk about it ๐ฌ
- British Indian Ocean Territory has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- British Indian Ocean Territory can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If British Indian Ocean Territory spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz ๐งช
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of British Indian Ocean Territory?
Diego Garcia
Which money do people spend in British Indian Ocean Territory?
United States dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with British Indian Ocean Territory?
None โ no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in British Indian Ocean Territory?
World data does not count this place separately.
Keep researching ๐
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further โ and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here โ kid-friendly encyclopedias ๐
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ๐๏ธ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy ๐ฐ
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card ๐ซ
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians โ all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.