British Indian Ocean Territory
 

8 Nov 1965 - 29 Jun 1976

Adopted 29 Jun 1976

Adopted 8 Nov 1990 Commissioner's Flag

Map of British Indian Ocean Territory  Hear National Anthem  "God Save the Queen"  Text of National Anthem Constitution Order (10 Jun 2004) Capital: London (Base on Diego Garcia) Currency: US Dollar (USD) National Holiday: 2nd Sat. in Jun (1926) Birthday of Queen  Elizabeth II Population: 2,800 on Diego Garcia (2012) GDP: $N/A Exports: $217.25 million (2003) Imports: $602.30 million (2003) Ethnic groups: British and American 95.88%, others (2001) Total U.S. Armed Forces: 303 (2011) Total British Forces: 50 (2011) Defense is the Responsibility of the U.K. Merchant marine: None (2010)  Religions: Christian 95%, others (2001) International Organizations/Treaties: UPU British Indian Ocean Territory Index Chronology 1512                       Possibly discovered by Pedro de Mascarenhas                              and claimed for Portugal, not occupied                              (Diego Garcia named Ilha de Dom Garcia). 1559                       Name Diego Garcia first used on a map created by                               Edward Wright. 23 Sep 1721                Claimed for France as part of Mauritius. Jan 1745                   First recorded landing on Diego Garcia by the                              British ship Pelham. 1768                       French Capt. Dufresne lands on Diego Garcia. 1785                       First French settlements begin on Diego Garcia. 27 Apr 1786 - Oct 1786     Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia claimed for Britain 1786                       Formally annexed by France. 17 May 1810                Part of British colony of Seychelles. 30 May 1814                British possession confirmed by the Treaty                              of Paris, part of Seychelles (Oil Islands). 31 Aug 1903                Chagos Archipelago separated from Seychelles and                              attached to Mauritius. Feb 1942 - Sep 1945        British garrison Diego Garcia.  8 Nov 1965                British Indian Ocean Territory established from                              parts of the Seychelles and Mauritius (Chagos                               Archipelago, [including Diego Garcia], Aldabra                               Islands, Farquhar and the Des Roches Islands). 17 Jul 1966                British evacuation of native islanders beings                              (completed in 1973). 30 Dec 1966                U.K.- U.S. base leasing agreement for Diego                              Garcia.  3 Apr 1967                U.K. buys all the plantations on the islands. 24 Mar 1971                U.S. Navy begins construction of U.S. Naval                              Communications Station Diego Garcia (commissioned                              20 Mar 1973). 29 Jun 1976                Aldabra, Farquhar and Des Roches Islands returned                              to independent Seychelles.  1 Oct 1977                U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia opened.  2 Nov 2000                U.K. High Court overturns 1971 immigration ban;                              11 June 2004 BIOT law overturns 2000 court ruling                              on 11 May 2006 the Court overturns the 2004 law;                              on 22 Oct 2008 the U.K. House of Lords votes                              to support the government decision denying the                              islanders return. 20 Dec 2012                European Court of Human Rights dismisses case                              brought by Chagos Islanders claiming the right to                              return to their home. U.S. Naval Base Diego Garcia

Captain of British Colony
27 Apr 1786 - Oct 1786     Richard Thomas Price
French Factory Managers
1793 - 1809                Lapotaire
1809 - 1810                Blevec + Chepe
British Agent
1824 - 1829                Le Camus
Plantation Managers
1866 - 1883                James Spur
1883 - 1885                Le Conte
Constable
1885 - 1888                Butler
East Point Plantation Managers
1886 - 1883                James Spurs
1883 - 1885                Le Conte
1885 - c.1890              ....
c.1890 - 1893              Thomas Larcher
c.1893 - c.1896            ....
c.1896 - 1910              Phillip De Caila
1910 - c.1922              ....
Point Marianne Plantation Managers
c.1884                     Desjardins
c.1884 - c.1890            ....
c.1890                     Lemasson
c.1890 - c.1893            ....
c.1893                     Phillip De Caila
c.1893 - c.1896            ....
c.1896 - 1909              Leal
1909 - c.1922              ....
c.1922                     F. Bax
Diego Garcia Plantation Managers (after c.1922 all Diego plantations were combined)
1913 - 1915                W. Commins
1915 - 1922                William Suzor
c.1922 - c.1926            ....
c.1926                     Edward D'Argent
c.1927                     John Lewis Powell
1928 - Jul 1939            Lois de Chasteigner Dumée
Jul 1939 - Jun 1940        R. Chaboche
Jun 1940 - Nov 1944        W. Thatcher
Nov 1943 - 1948            L. Monnier
1948 - Jun 1952            H. D'Unienville
Jun 1952 - c.1958          George Lannier
c.1958 - 27 Feb 1962       Robert Talbot
27 Feb 1962 - c.1968       ....
c.1968 - c.1969            Reginald Payet (or Regenald Payett)
 3 Apr 1967 - 15 Oct 1971  Paul Moulinie (H.Q. in the Seychelles)
British Commanders
Feb 1942 - 1942            James Alan Thompson
1942 - 1945                ....
Commissioners (in London; from 1997 also commissioners for British Antarctic Territory)
 8 Nov 1965 -  4 Jul 1976  the governors of Seychelles
 4 Jul 1976 - 1976         Norman Aspin                       (b. 1922 - d. 2011)
1979 - 17 Sep 1979         Philip R.A. Mansfield              (b. 1926)
17 Sep 1979 - 1982         John Adam Robson                   (b. 1930)
1982 - 1985                W. Nigel Wenban-Smith              (b. 1936)
1985 - 1988                William Marsden                    (b. 1940)
1988 -  2 Oct 1991         Richard John Smale Edis            (b. 1943 - d. 2002)
 2 Oct 1991 - 28 Jan 1994  Thomas George Harris               (b. 1945)
28 Jan 1994 -  1 Jul 1996  David Ross MacLennan               (b. 1945)
 1 Jul 1996 - 17 Feb 1998  Bruce Harry Dinwiddy               (b. 1946)
17 Feb 1998 - 13 Jul 1998  Christopher Edward John Wilton     (b. 1951)
13 Jul 1998 - 23 Apr 2001  Charles John Branford White        (b. 1946)
23 Apr 2001 - 12 Jan 2004  Alan Edden Huckle                  (b. 1948)
12 Jan 2004 - 31 Jul 2006  Anthony "Tony" Campbell Crombie    (b. 1956)
31 Jul 2006 - 23 Jun 2008  Robert Leigh Turner                (b. 1958)
23 Jun 2008 - 17 Oct 2012  Colin Roberts                      (b. 1959)
17 Oct 2012 -              Peter Hayes                        (b. 1963)
Administrators (in London)
 8 Nov 1965 - 1974         John Rawling Todd                  (b. 1929 - d. 2002)
1974 -  6 Jul 1975         David Kenneth Hay Dale             (b. 1927 - d. 2001)
 6 Jul 1976 - 1977         Martin Kenneth Ewans               (b. 1928)
1977 -  9 Feb 1979         Alan G. Munro                      (b. 1935)
 9 Feb 1979 -  3 Oct 1979  John A. Robson                     (s.a.)
 3 Oct 1979 - 11 Jul 1981  James Gordon Wallace
11 Jul 1980 - 1982         Peter Albert Raftery               (b. 1929 - d. 1996)
1982 - 1984                Denis Henry Doble                  (b. 1936)
1984 - 1985                T. Clive Somerville Stitt          (b. 1948)
1985 - 1989                Peter Charles Freeman Gregory-Hood (b. 1943)
1989 - 1990                M. Robert Crompton
1990                       S.E. Turner (acting)
26 Sep 1990 - 14 Sep 1992  Roger Geoffrey Wells               (b. 1942)
14 Sep 1992 - 11 Nov 1994  Donald Hunter Cairns
11 Nov 1994 - 15 Apr 1996  David Joseph Smith
15 Apr 1996 - 15 Mar 2002  Louise Margaret Savill (f)
15 Mar 2002 - 14 Feb 2005  Charles A. Hamilton
14 Feb 2005 -  3 Dec 2007  Tony John Humphries
 3 Dec 2007 - Apr 2011     Joanne Mary Yeadon (f)             (b. 1965)
Apr 2011 -                 John Andrew McManus                (b. 1955)

Commissioner's Representatives and Justices of the Peace
and Commanders British Forces on Diego Garcia
Sep 1971 - 15 Jun 1974     John Canter
16 Jun 1974 - 19 Jul 1975  B. Credland
20 Jul 1975 - 24 Jul 1976  L.W. Spinks
25 Jul 1976 - 23 Jul 1977  A.G. Portwine
24 Jul 1977 - 17 Jul 1978  B.E. Clark
18 Jul 1978 - 13 May 1979  J.N. Martin
14 May 1979 - 15 Jul 1980  D.A. Goodling
16 Jul 1980 - 25 Mar 1982  G.N. Wells
26 Mar 1982 -  9 Mar 1983  P.T. Libby
10 Mar 1983 - 25 May 1983  K.G.V. Gill
26 May 1983 -  4 Apr 1984  A.J.G. Hodgson
 5 Apr 1984 -  4 Apr 1986  J.M.W. Topp  
 3 Apr 1986 - 13 May 1987  J. Maxwell
14 May 1987 - 16 May 1988  P.N. Drummond
17 May 1988 - 12 Jun 1989  R.J.R. Martin
13 Jun 1989 - 14 Jun 1990  A.J. Tremelling
15 Jun 1990 - 10 Jun 1991  R.A. Hornshaw
 7 Jun 1991 - 12 Jun 1992  P.A.W. Raine 
13 Jun 1992 - 12 Jul 1994  H.F. Hatton
13 Jul 1994 - 15 Jul 1995  J.P. Wraith
16 Jul 1995 -  8 Jul 1996  P.C.M. Baker
 9 Jul 1996 -  8 Jul 1997  S. Jackson  
11 Jul 1997 - 10 Jul 1998  D.G. Niven
11 Jul 1998 - 20 Aug 1999  P. White
21 Aug 1999 - 28 Jul 2000  S. Watt
29 Jul 2000 -  2 Aug 2001  Peter R. Lewis 
 3 Aug 2001 -  3 Feb 2003  Adam J.U. Peters
 4 Feb 2003 - 14 Feb 2004  N.E. Hinch
15 Feb 2004 - 22 Mar 2006  Chris Davies
23 Mar 2006 - Mar 2007     D.G. Howard
Mar 2007 - Mar 2008        Gary L. Brooks                    (b. 1966)
Mar 2008 - May 2009        Simon C.L. Nicholson
May 2009 -  3 Mar 2010     Richard P. Stevens
 3 Mar 2010 -  4 Jan 2011  Christopher Moorey
 4 Jan 2011 - 14 Jan 2013  Richard G.C. Marshall
14 Jan 2013 -              Lee Hardy

U.S. Naval Facility Diego Garcia

U.S. Island Commanders Diego Garcia   
Mar 1971 - Oct 1971        Daniel W. Urish
Oct 1971 - Jun 1972        Philip Oliver
Jun 1972 - 20 Mar 1973     ....
Commanders U.S. Naval Communications Station Diego Garcia
20 Mar 1973 - 197.         Hamilton
197. -  1 Oct 1977         ....
Commanders U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
 1 Oct 1977 - May 1978     B. Andrews
May 1978 - Jun 1978        Hodge
Jun 1978 - Sep 1980        Block
Sep 1980 - Sep 1981        Pelts
Sep 1981 - Sep 1982        Bilicki
Sep 1982 - Sep 1983        Renner
Sep 1983 - Sep 1984        Eikel
Sep 1984 - Sep 1985        Jackson
Sep 1985 - Sep 1986        Norrington
Sep 1986 - Jul 1987        T.W. Triebel
Jul 1987 - 12 Jul 1988     B.W. "Bill" Barker
12 Jul 1988 - Sep 1989     J.D. Anderson
Sep 1989 - Aug 1990        Wilson
Aug 1990 - Aug 1991        Simms
Aug 1991 - Jul 1992        Cech
Aug 1992 - Jun 1993        Wood
Jun 1993 - Aug 1994        Overall
Aug 1994 - Aug 1995        Brodie
Aug 1995 - Aug 1996        Rannells
Aug 1996 - Aug 1997        Worley
Aug 1997 - Jun 1998        Miller
Jun 1998 - Jun 1999        Cunningham
Jun 1999 - Jun 2000        Chrisensen
Jun 2000 - 27 Jun 2001     James H. Patrick                  (b. 1950)
27 Jun 2001 - Dec 2002     Michael C. Lucarelli 
Dec 2002 - Jul 2003        Robert Hibbert
Jul 2003 -  1 Jul 20004    Gary Cooper
 1 Jul 2004 - 21 Jun 2005  Edward Martin, Jr.
21 Jun 2005 - 2006         Gilmore Birklund 
2006 - 17 Jun 2007         Patrick J. Dougherty              (b. 1961?)
17 Jun 2007 -  3 Jun 2008  Gregory L. Looney
 3 Jun 2008 - 11 Jun 2009  Daniel T. McNamara
11 Jun 2009 - 23 Jun 2010  Hugh Flanagan
23 Jun 2010 -  9 Jun 2011  Anthony P. Chatham 
 9 Jun 2011 - 13 Jun 2012  David L. Tidwell 
13 Jun 2012 -              Richard A. Skiff, Jr.

No Political Parties Exist

Territorial Disputes: Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted U.K. citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversing the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denying the right of return; since 2006, a limited number of escorted visits by Chagossians to the main BIOT islands have been hosted and funded by the U.K. government; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive U.S. military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain, the U.S. lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016; in addition, the United Kingdom created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources therein.