British Indian Ocean Territory

An archipelago including the atolls of the Chagos Islands, it has been a British overseas territory since November 1965. Diego Garcia (27 km²), the largest and most important island, is home to a US military base, which is the territory’s only airport, with facilities capable of supporting space activities. The smaller islands include Pero Banhos, the Salomon Islands, Three Brothers, Six Islands and Egmont Islands. In 2019, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution demanding the return of the archipelago to Mauritius.