What are people from Diego Garcia called?

Chagossians (often referred to as Ilois) were the indigenous people of Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean. From 1965 to 1973 the U.S. government put them on the overcrowded boats and shipped them off to Mauritius. The island of Diego Garcia was completely emptied of all the local peoples.

Does anyone live on Diego Garcia?

There is no permanent population on Diego Garcia, although some 4,000 U.S. and British military and contract civilian personnel are stationed on the atoll.

What happened to the Chagossian people?

Most Chagossians now live in Mauritius and the United Kingdom after being evicted by the British government in the late 1960s and early 1970s so that Diego Garcia, the island where most Chagossians lived, could serve as the location for a United States military base.

How many people are on Diego Garcia?

Only active duty, unaccompanied military personnel are assigned to Diego Garcia. Active duty military couples are not allowed simultaneous assignments to Diego Garcia. There is a total of 2,438 people on the island, 396 joint forces military and over 2,000 civilians.

Why Diego Garcia is important?

Diego Garcia is the largest of 55 islands split off by the United Kingdom from its Seychelles and Mauritius colonies to create the British Indian Ocean Territory in 1965. Devised exclusively for military use, the BIOT has been the key US strategic outpost in the Indian Ocean since 1966.

Is Diego Garcia a US base?

As of August 2018, Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT; the population is composed of military personnel and supporting contractors. It is one of two critical US bomber bases in the Asia Pacific region, along with Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Pacific Ocean….Diego Garcia.

Can tourists go to Diego Garcia?

U.S. Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia access to Diego Garcia is limited to official visitors and mission-essential personnel only. Personnel travelling to Diego Garcia require country clearance, which is approved by the U.S. Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia, commanding officer.

Can you vacation in Diego Garcia?

The main island, Diego Garcia, is a military facility off limits to anyone not on official duty, but some of the uninhabited outer islands can be visited by independent yachters with advance permission.

What happened to people living in Diego Garcia?

All the inhabitants of Diego Garcia were forcibly resettled to other islands in the Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius or Seychelles by 1971 to satisfy the requirements of a UK/United States Exchange of Notes signed in 1966 to depopulate the island when the United States constructed a base upon it.

What country owns Diego Garcia?

British Indian Ocean Territory
Diego Garcia is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) formed in 1965 from territory belonging formerly to Mauritius and the Seychelles. The island is one of 52 in the Chagos Archipelago, which extends over an area of 10,000 square miles.

Is Diego Garcia for Mauritius?

Mauritius has pledged to give the United States — or even the United States and Britain together — a long-term lease to Diego Garcia. Britain declared its new colony the British Indian Ocean Territory, or BIOT. A formal note agreeing to let the United States build a naval base on Diego Garcia was signed in 1966.

Can spouses go to Diego Garcia?

U.S. Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia access to Diego Garcia is limited to official visitors and mission-essential personnel only. Family members are not authorized to travel to Diego Garcia; this includes, but is not limited to dependents and spouses.