Chagos Archipelago

Discover the Chagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the central Indian Ocean known for its rich marine biodiversity and strategic geopolitical importance.

Chagos Islands

Chagos Islands Latest News

India recently welcomed the UK’s decision to hand over the sovereignty of Chagos Islands including tropical atoll of Diego Garcia to Mauritius under a historic deal.

About Chagos Islands

  • It is an island group located in the central Indian Ocean.
  • It is about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) south of the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent.
  • It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom that was established on November 8, 1965.
  • The principal islands in the archipelago include the Diego Garcia atoll, Danger Island, Egmont Islands, Eagle Islands, Nelsons Island, Peros Banhos atoll, Three Brothers Islands, and the Solomon Islands. 
    • Diego Garcia covers an area of about 30 sq.km. and is the largest and the most southerly island of the Chagos Archipelago.
    • Diego Garcia houses a strategic US military base.
  • The islands feature flat and low terrain, and most areas of the islands do not exceed more than 2 m in elevation. 
  • There are no rivers and lakes on the islands. 
  • Climate
    • It experiences a tropical marine climate with high temperatures and elevated humidity levels. 
    • The island’s climate is heavily moderated by the trade winds which blow over the islands.

Chagos Islands History

  • The archipelago’s first inhabitants, primarily enslaved people from Madagascar and Mozambique, were forcibly brought to the islands by French enslavers, to work on coconut plantations. 
  • Centuries later, they had unshackled themselves from slavery and became Chagossians, an indigenous people with a distinct language and culture.
  • In 1965, the British convinced Mauritian nationalist politicians to give up their claimto the Chagos Islands in exchange for independence.
  • In 1966, Chagos became the ’British Indian Ocean Territory‘ (BIOT) and was denied any claim to independence. 
  • This led to the removal of the peoples living there, most of whom relocated to Mauritius.
  • The UK made an agreement with the United States to host a military base in the islands for Indian Ocean defenses.
  • Mauritius, which gained independence from Britain in 1968, has consistently maintained its claim over the Chagos Islands.
  • In 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dismissed the UK’s right to govern the Chagos Islands and called on its government to withdraw from the archipelago.

Chagos Islands FAQs

Q1: Where are the Chagos Islands located?

Ans: Central Indian Ocean

Q2: Which is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago?

Ans: Diego Garcia

Q3: What year did Mauritius gain independence from the British?

Ans: 1968

SourceNDTV

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