BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY - B.I.O.T.

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is a British overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean halfway between Tanzania and Indonesia. The territory comprises the seven atolls of the Chagos Archipelago with over 1,000 individual islands – many very small – amounting to a total land area of 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi). The largest and most southerly island is Diego Garcia, 27 km² (10 sq mi), the site of a joint military facility of the United Kingdom and the United States.

The only inhabitants are US and British military personnel and associated contractors, who collectively number around 2,500 (2012 figures). The removal of Chagossians from the Chagos Archipelago occurred between 1968 and 1973. The Chagossians, then numbering about 2,000 people, were expelled by the British government to Mauritius and Seychelles to allow the United States to build a joint UK/US military base there. Today, the exiled Chagossians are still trying to return, arguing that the forced expulsion and dispossession was illegal. The islands are off-limits to Chagossians, casual tourists, and the media.

The territory is an archipelago of 55 islands, the largest being Diego Garcia, accounting for almost half of the total land area of the territory, which is 60 km². The terrain is flat and low, with most areas not exceeding two metres above sea level. The climate is tropical marine; hot, humid, and moderated by trade winds. In 2010, 545,000 square kilometres (210,426 sq mi) of ocean around the islands was declared a marine reserve.

Postage stamps have been issued for British Indian Ocean Territory since 17 January 1968. As the territory was originally part of Mauritius and the Seychelles, these stamps were denominated in rupees until 1992. However, after that date they were issued in denominations of British Pounds, the official currency of the territory.

Two  beautiful covers from BIOT with perfect postmarks. Actually there are no native civilians inhabited, But for the promotion of philately , there is a post office and they issue thematic stamps yearly and sell them through international agencies. The letters are traveled via Singapore and USA through their mainland representing offices, which is known as Sure Diego Garcia, providing telecom services to BIOT.