Entry into Diego Garcia is restricted , requiring area clearance by U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia. Only unaccompanied military and DoD civilian personnel, or authorized contractors may be assigned to the island. ... Tours in Diego Garcia are one year long.
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 . ... Family members are not authorized to travel to Diego Garcia; this includes, but is not limited to dependents and spouses. At no time is leave travel to Diego Garcia authorized.
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.
Is there a US military base on Diego Garcia?
Devised exclusively for military use, the BIOT has been the key US strategic outpost in the Indian Ocean since 1966. ... Diego Garcia became a critical node of American expeditionary warfare in Afghanistan and Iraq. It remains an invaluable operating location in a region with few permanent American bases.
Who owns the island of Diego Garcia?
Diego Garcia is a British territory mostly populated by the US military, the British colony that’s been colonised by the Americans. Normally the island is home to about 1,700 military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors. But only about 50 troops are British.
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.
Is there Internet on Diego Garcia?
Sure Diego Garcia provides international telephone services, broadband internet and WiFi,4G and GSM mobile and paging services. ... Sure is a member of the Batelco Group.
Where is Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean?
Diego Garcia, an atoll of the Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory, is located 7 degrees south of the equator .
Who lives on Chagos Islands?
The Chagossians (also Îlois or Chagos Islanders) are a currently exiled Creole ethnic group native to the Chagos Islands, specifically Diego Garcia, Peros Banhos, and the Salomon island chain, as well as other parts of the Chagos Archipelago, from the late 18th century until the middle of 20th century.
Why does the United Kingdom want to keep the Chagos Archipelago?
According to Mauritius, the proposal to separate the Chagos Archipelago stemmed from a decision by the United Kingdom in the early 1960s to “ accommodate the United States’ desire to use certain islands in the Indian Ocean for defence purposes .”
How many bases does the US military have?
Despite recently closing hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad—from giant “Little Americas” to small radar facilities. Britain, France and Russia, by contrast, have about 30 foreign bases combined.
Who discovered Chagos?
Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to discover the archipelago.
Can I visit Chagos Archipelago?
There are no commercial tours to the Chagos Archipelago. Rules regarding private visits are very strict and it is only possible to visit one or two sites by private yacht – and then only with permission of the BIOT administration.
Can you sail to Chagos?
There is no tourism in Chagos . Sailboats stopping in on their way through the Indian Ocean are the only non-military people who are allowed to visit, and because of this, Chagos has a special place in cruising legend.
