Diego Garcia, Coral atoll in British Indian Ocean Territory.
Diego Garcia is a ring-shaped atoll in the British Indian Ocean Territory with roughly 44 square kilometers of land and a north-facing lagoon. The area consists of low-lying coral formations covered with tropical vegetation and now primarily houses military installations with runways, port facilities and residential buildings for personnel.
Portuguese sailors came across the atoll in the 16th century and it remained under Mauritian administration until 1965 when Britain converted it into a separate territory. In the years that followed, the resident islanders were relocated to make room for military use by the US and Britain.
The base functions today as a closed military community with a small number of contract workers who live and work in temporary facilities. Public cultural expression or civilian communities do not exist on the atoll after the former residents were relocated in the 1970s.
Visiting the atoll is not possible as it remains accessible only to authorized military or governmental personnel. There are no public transport links and no options for civilians to obtain permission for entry.
The atoll hosts one of the longest military runways in the Indian Ocean large enough to accommodate the heaviest transport aircraft. The lagoon serves as an anchorage for large naval vessels and offers natural protection from the open waters around it.
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