British Indian Ocean Territory

American  

noun

1. a British colony in the Indian Ocean, consisting of the Chagos Archipelago. 76 sq. mi. (177 sq. km). Diego Garcia.

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British Indian Ocean Territory British  

noun

1. a UK Overseas Territory in the Indian Ocean: consists of the Chagos Archipelago (formerly a dependency of Mauritius) and formerly included (until 1976) Aldabra, Farquhar, and Des Roches, now administratively part of the Seychelles. Diego Garcia is an important US naval base

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Example Sentences

In 1965, during the heat of the Cold War, the U.K. declared the Chagos the British Indian Ocean Territory.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The Chagos Islands - officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory - are located in the Indian Ocean and Britain has controlled them since the early 19th Century.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Mr. Trump can still scuttle the Mauritius deal under a 1966 treaty between the U.K. and U.S. that established defensive uses for the British Indian Ocean Territory.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

"The defendant is to maintain the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom over the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order."

From BBC • May 22, 2025

British Indian Ocean Territory:   All economic activity is   concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint   UK-US defense facilities are located.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency