British Indian Ocean Territory
Africa · 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 🔢
👥 People
Not counted in world data
🗺️ Land
60 km²
Smaller than most big cities — you could cross it in an afternoon.
🏙️ How crowded
Not enough data
📊 Size in its region
Part of Africa
59th largest by land in Africa.
🗣️ Official languages
English
💰 Money
United States dollar ($)
Everyday details 🧭
📞 Phone code
+246
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
🌐 Websites end in
.io
🧑 People here are called
Indian
🏷️ Name at home
British Indian Ocean Territory
🌊 Coast or inland
Has a coastline
🕊️ UN voting group
Not a UN member
Neighbours & borders 🤝
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 🗣️
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Territorio Británico del Océano Índico
French
Territoire britannique de l'océan Indien
Arabic
إقليم المحيط الهندي البريطاني
Chinese
英属印度洋领地
Japanese
イギリス領インド洋地域
Russian
Британская территория в Индийском океане
Portuguese
Território Britânico do Oceano Índico
German
Britisches Territorium im Indischen Ozean
Put it in perspective 📏
- All of British Indian Ocean Territory would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
Fast facts 🧠
Fact of the day: The capital of British Indian Ocean Territory is Diego Garcia — that's where the country's big decisions get made.
🏷️ Official name
British Indian Ocean Territory
🏙️ Capital
Diego Garcia
🌍 Region
Africa · Eastern Africa
🔤 Country code
IO
🕊️ UN status
Not a UN member state
🚩 Independence
Linked territory
More about British Indian Ocean Territory 🔎
🧭 Where on the map
6.0° S, 71.5° E
🌐 Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
🕰️ Clock check
Roughly UTC+5 — 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.
- 🇮🇴 is the flag of British Indian Ocean Territory. Its country code — the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics — is IO.
- The capital of British Indian Ocean Territory is Diego Garcia — 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 🤝
Talk about it 💬
- 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 🧪
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 — 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 🔍
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further — and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here — kid-friendly encyclopedias 📚
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources 🏛️
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy 📰
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card 🏫
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians — 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.