Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia is a large island.

It sits in the Indian Ocean. It is near many other lands.

Long ago, people lived on the island. They worked on coconut farms. Later, the people were moved away. This was so a military base could be built.

Now, the island is used by the military. Many planes fly there.

The island has many green trees. It is a very special place in the sea.

Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago.

It sits in the central Indian Ocean. The island is just south of the equator. It is near many places like India and Mauritius. The island is part of a long underwater mountain range.

Portuguese sailors found the island in 1512. For a long time, no one lived there. Later, people moved to the island to work on coconut farms. In 1966, there were 924 people living there.

Between 1968 and 1973, the people were moved away. This was done to make room for a military base. Now, the United Kingdom and the United States share the base. Many military workers live on the island.

A new deal was signed in May 2025. The UK will hand control of the islands to Mauritius. However, the military base will stay under British control for at least 99 years. This deal may be renewed later.

Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago.

It sits in the central Indian Ocean, just south of the equator. Many different lands are near this island. It is east of Tanzania and east-southeast of Somalia. It is also south of the Maldives and southwest of India. The island is part of the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge. This is a long underwater mountain range. This range includes the Maldives and 60 other small islands.

The island has a very interesting physical landscape. It features many different types of plants and nature. There are thick coconut forests and Hernandia forests.

You can also find Premna shrubland and littoral scrub near the ocean. Some parts of the island are wet, like the cattail marshes.

There are also mixed-species freshwater wetlands. Living things like the coconut crab and the red-tailed tropicbird live here.

People have a long history with this remote place. Portuguese sailors first found the island in 1512. It was named "Dom Garcia" to honor a patron. Later, a Spanish explorer named Diego García de Moguer visited in 1544. For a long time, no one lived on the island. In the late 1700s, the French used it for coconut plantations.

After the Napoleonic Wars, the island became part of British control. It was part of Mauritius until 1965.

The 20th century brought big changes to the island's people. In 1966, there were 924 people living there. Most were workers on the coconut plantations.

However, the people were forcibly removed between 1968 and 1973. This was done to make room for a military base. This base is used by the United Kingdom and the United States. Today, about 4,000 people live there, mostly military personnel.

Diego Garcia is a very important place for the military today. The U.S. Navy calls it the "Footprint of Freedom." This name comes from its shape and its spot in the ocean. It is one of two important U.S. bomber bases in the region.

Large planes like the B-1B Lancer and B-2 bombers use the island. A new treaty was signed on 22 May 2025. The UK will transfer control to Mauritius. The military base will stay under British control for at least 99 years.

Diego Garcia is the largest island within the Chagos Archipelago.

It is located in the central Indian Ocean, just south of the equator. The island sits on the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge. This is a large underwater mountain range. This ridge includes the Maldives and 60 other small islands. Diego Garcia is positioned east of Tanzania and east-southeast of Somalia. It lies south of the Maldives and southwest of India. It is also northwest of Australia and northeast of Mauritius.

The island features a diverse range of ecosystems and habitats. You can find thick coconut forests and Hernandia forests.

There are also areas of Premna shrubland and littoral scrub near the coast. The landscape includes various wet environments. These include cattail marshes and mixed-species freshwater wetlands.

Many animals live in these habitats. Examples include the coconut crab and the red-tailed tropicbird.

History shows that the island was first discovered by Portuguese sailors in 1512. They named it Dom Garcia to honor a patron. In 1544, a Spanish explorer named Diego García de Moguer rediscovered the island. He named it after himself. The name "Diego Garcia" likely came from a misunderstanding of older maps. For a long time, the island remained uninhabited. In the late 18th century, the French began using the island. They established coconut plantations and used it as a leper colony.

Following the Napoleonic Wars, the island moved to British control. It remained part of Mauritius until 1965. In 1966, the population was 924 people. Most of these people were contract workers for coconut plantations. However, the UK created the British Indian Ocean Territory in 1965. Between 1968 and 1973, the Chagossian inhabitants were forcibly removed. This was done to make room for a military base.

Today, the population is about 4,000 people. Most of these residents are military personnel.

The island serves as a major joint UK–U.S. military base. The U.S. Navy calls it the "Footprint of Freedom." This nickname refers to its shape and its strategic location. It is one of two critical U.S. bomber bases in the Indo-Pacific region. The other base is Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Large aircraft, such as B-1B Lancers and B-2 bombers, operate from the island.

A significant legal and political shift is currently happening. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion. It stated that the decolonisation of Mauritius was not lawfully completed in 1968. The court said the UK must end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago rapidly. The United Nations General Assembly also supported this view. On 22 May 2025, a treaty was signed to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius. Under this deal, the military base stays under British control for at least 99 years. This period may be extended for another 40 years. The UK expects the treaty to be ratified in 2026.

The island's history is marked by many different uses. In the late 1800s, it hosted coaling stations for steamships. During World War II, the British opened an RAF Station there. They used aircraft like the Catalina to search for submarines.

The transition to a military site involved complex agreements. In 1966, the UK and U.S. agreed to use the territory for defense. The U.S. received a $14-million discount on missiles as part of this arrangement. This highlights how geography can shape international relations and military strategy.