Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, a British overseas territory. Since the 1970s, it has hosted a joint UK-U.S. military base, established after the controversial expulsion of the native Chagossians. While the UK signed a treaty on 22 May 2025 to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius, the military base is slated to remain under British control for at least 99 years, with potential extensions. This agreement has drawn criticism, including "deep concern" from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination regarding the terms of the deal.
In 1901, a low-intensity storm hit Diego Garcia, which blew over 1,500 coconut trees
In 1905, botanical studies and collections were made during the plantation era, contributing to the understanding of the island's vegetation.
In 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden visited Diego Garcia during its commerce-raiding cruise in World War I.
In 1939, botanical studies and collections were made during the plantation era, contributing to the understanding of the island's vegetation.
In February 1942, the British opened RAF Station Diego Garcia and installed naval guns to protect the base during World War II.
On 16 September 1944, a storm caused the wreck of a Royal Air Force PBY Catalina on Diego Garcia.
On 30 April 1946, RAF Station Diego Garcia was closed following the conclusion of World War II.
In 1953, a peak population of 1,142 was recorded on all islands in the Chagos Archipelago.
In 1962, the Chagos Agalega Company purchased the Société Huilière de Diego et Peros and moved its headquarters to the Seychelles.
In November 1965, the UK purchased the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, from Mauritius for £3 million to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
From 1814 to 1965, Diego Garcia was administered from Mauritius, before becoming part of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
In 1965, Diego Garcia became part of the newly formed British Indian Ocean Territory, having previously been part of Mauritius.
In 1965, the UK purchased Diego Garcia and the rest of the Chagos Archipelago from the self-governing colony of Mauritius for £3 million and declared them to be a separate British Overseas Territory.
In February 2019, the ICJ ruled that the United Kingdom must transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, as they were not legally separated from Mauritius in 1965.
In April 1966, the British government bought the assets of the Chagos Agalega Company for £600,000 and leased the plantations back to the company.
On 30 December 1966, the United States and the UK executed an agreement which permitted the United States to use the BIOT for defence purposes for 50 years until December 2016, followed by a 20-year extension (to 2036) .
In 1966, Diego Garcia's population was 924, primarily contract workers on coconut plantations.
In 1966, the UK and the United States signed an Exchange of Notes agreement to depopulate Diego Garcia for the construction of a United States base.
At the end of 1967, the Chagos Agalega Company terminated its lease due to consistent losses, due to new oils and lubricants, and new coconut plantations.
In 1967, Stoddart described the land area of Diego Garcia as having a littoral hedge of Scaevola taccada, with Cocos nucifera (coconut) as the dominant tree inland.
In 1967, botanical studies and collections were made during the plantation era, contributing to the understanding of the island's vegetation.
In 1967, the Smithsonian published a survey that is used as the most authoritative baseline for more recent research on the vegetation of Diego Garcia.
Beginning in 1968, the Chagossian inhabitants of Diego Garcia were forcibly removed to make way for a military base.
In 1968, following the independence of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory administration was moved to Seychelles.
In 1968, the first tactics were implemented to decrease the population of Diego Garcia. Those who left the island were not allowed to return, and food and medical supplies were restricted. All Chagossian dogs were ordered to be killed.
In March 1971, United States Naval construction battalions arrived on Diego Garcia to begin construction of the communications station and an airfield.
In October 1971, the plantations on Diego Garcia were closed, leading to the forced relocation of the inhabitants.
Between 1971 and 2001, the only residents on Diego Garcia were British and American military personnel and civilian employees of those countries. These included contract employees from the Philippines and Mauritius, including some Îlois.
By 1971, all inhabitants of Diego Garcia were forcibly resettled to other islands in the Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius, or Seychelles. This was done to fulfill the requirements of a UK/United States Exchange of Notes signed in 1966 to depopulate the island for the construction of a United States base.
From 1971 to 1973, United States Navy LSTs provided consumable food and equipment to Diego Garcia by sea or air, and shipped off all non-biodegradable waste.
In 1971, the BIOT Commissioner ordered the extermination of feral dogs on Diego Garcia following the departure of the last plantation workers.
Prior to 1971, the channel and anchorage areas in the northern half of the lagoon were dredged, along with the ship turning basin.
Throughout the period 1793-1971, the inhabitants of Diego Garcia consisted of plantation workers, Franco-Mauritian managers, Indo-Mauritian administrators, Mauritian and Seychellois contract employees, and, in the late 19th century, Chinese and Somali employees.
In 1972, the UK and Mauritian governments agreed that 426 families, numbering 1,151 individuals, were due compensation payments as exiled Îlois.
In 1972, the donkey population numbered over 400 on Diego Garcia.
Beginning in 1973, civilian ships were contracted to provide consumable food and equipment to Diego Garcia by sea or air, and shipped off all non-biodegradable waste.
Between 1971 and 1973, those who still remained on the island of Diego Garcia were forced onto cargo ships heading to Mauritius and the Seychelles.
In 1973, the Naval Communications Station on Diego Garcia was completed.
In 1973, the forcible removal of Chagossian inhabitants of Diego Garcia was completed to make way for a military base.
In 1974, the UK gave the Mauritian government £650,000 to resettle the islanders who were displaced from Diego Garcia.
In 1975, the last feral dog was observed and shot on Diego Garcia, marking the end of the feral dog extermination program.
In 1976, following the independence of Seychelles, the British Indian Ocean Territory administration was moved to a desk in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
In the early 1960s, the UK withdrew its military presence from the Indian Ocean, not including the airfield at RAF Gan to the north of Diego Garcia in the Maldives, which remained open until 1976.
Following the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979–1980, the West became concerned with ensuring the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
Following the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979–1980, the West became concerned with ensuring the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
In 1982, The total number of people certified as Îlois by the Mauritian Government's Îlois Trust Fund Board was 1,579.
On 30 November 1983, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale hit Diego Garcia at 11:46 pm local time and lasted 72 seconds, resulting in minor damage including wave damage to a 50-metre (160 ft) stretch of the southern end of the island.
In September 1990, a storm demolished the tent city then being constructed for United States Air Force bomber crews during Operation Desert Storm on Diego Garcia.
In 1993, J. M. W. Topp began collecting data annually on the vegetation of Diego Garcia, finding that on average, three new plant species arrived each year.
In 1995, the last horse was observed on Diego Garcia.
Since 1995, 32 new plant species have been recorded on Diego Garcia, classifying 134 species of plants as "weedy" or "naturalised alien species", indicating a rapid rate of introduction.
In 1996, Scientific expeditions described the lagoon and surrounding waters of Diego Garcia, along with the rest of the Chagos Archipelago, as "exceptionally unpolluted".
In 1997, the United States Navy contracted a vegetation survey that identified approximately 280 species of terrestrial vascular plants on Diego Garcia, none of which were endemic.
From 2001 to 2006, combat operations were launched from Diego Garcia against Afghanistan. Allied militaries, including Australian, Japanese, and Republic of Korea forces, were based on the island.
In 2001, naval exercises between the United States and Indian navies were held at Diego Garcia.
Prior to 2001, COMPSRON 2 consisted of up to 20 ships, including four Combat Force Ships which provided rapid-response delivery of equipment to ground troops in the United States Army.
On 2 December 2002, an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck Diego Garcia at 12:21 am.
An unnamed former White House official alleged that the United States had imprisoned and interrogated at least one suspect on Diego Garcia during 2002 and possibly 2003.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband admitted that two United States extraordinary rendition flights refueled on Diego Garcia in 2002.
An unnamed former White House official alleged that the United States had imprisoned and interrogated at least one suspect on Diego Garcia during 2003 and possibly 2002.
In 2003, J. M. W. Topp's annual data collection on the vegetation of Diego Garcia ended, after having discovered that on average, three new plant species arrived each year.
In June 2004, the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stated that United States authorities had repeatedly assured him that no detainees had passed in transit through Diego Garcia or were disembarked there.
In December 2004, a tsunami generated near Indonesia caused minor shoreline erosion on Barton Point on Diego Garcia.
In 2004, 10 plant communities were recognized on the atoll rim of Diego Garcia.
In 2004, Diego Garcia was somewhat affected by the tsunami caused by the Indian Ocean earthquake, with service personnel reporting only a minor increase in wave activity on the western arm of the island due to favorable ocean topography.
In 2004, TransAtlantic Lines outbid Sealift Incorporated for the transport contract between Singapore and Diego Garcia.
In 2004, naval exercises between the United States and Indian navies were held at Diego Garcia.
In 2004, the UK applied to obtain Ramsar site wetlands conservation status for much of the lagoon and other waters of Diego Garcia. Large parts of the island are nature preserves.
The Baffin Straits charter with TransAtlantic Lines ran from 10 January 2005 to 30 September 2008, at a daily rate of $12,550 for transport between Singapore and Diego Garcia.
On 30 September 2005, the Naval Security Group detachment on Diego Garcia was disestablished, with remaining essential operations transferred to a contractor.
By 2005, the donkey population was down to just 20 individuals, and only two cats were thought to have survived an island-wide eradication program on Diego Garcia.
In 2005, Diego Garcia was first rumored to have been one of the locations of the CIA's black sites. It was suspected that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was held in Diego Garcia.
In 2005, a vegetation survey identified just 36 species as "native" on Diego Garcia, meaning they arrived without human assistance and are found elsewhere in the world. No terrestrial plant species are of any conservation-related concern at present.
In early 2005, a biological survey indicated erosional effects of the tsunami wave on Diego Garcia and other islands of the Chagos Archipelago, including a breach in the shoreline and the washing away of shoreline shrubs and coconut palms.
In July 2006, the United States military facilities on Diego Garcia, informally known as Camp Justice, were renamed Camp Thunder Cove.
In 2006, Scientific expeditions described the lagoon and surrounding waters of Diego Garcia, along with the rest of the Chagos Archipelago, as "pristine".
In late 2006, American gunships based off Diego Garcia participated in Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia.
In June 2007, it was formally reported to the Council of Europe that the military base on Diego Garcia had been used by the United States government for transport of prisoners involved in the controversial extraordinary rendition program.
On 22 July 2007, a low-intensity storm hit Diego Garcia. Winds exceeded 60 knots (69 mph; 110 km/h) and over 250 mm (10 in) of rain fell in 24 hours.
In October 2007, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the British Parliament announced that it would launch an investigation of continued allegations of a prison camp on Diego Garcia, which it claimed were twice confirmed by comments made by retired U.S. Army general Barry McCaffrey.
On 21 February 2008, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband admitted that two United States extraordinary rendition flights refuelled on Diego Garcia in 2002, and was "very sorry" that earlier denials were having to be corrected.
On July 31, 2008, an unnamed former White House official alleged that the United States had imprisoned and interrogated at least one suspect on Diego Garcia during 2002 and possibly 2003.
The Baffin Straits charter with TransAtlantic Lines ran from 10 January 2005 to 30 September 2008, at a daily rate of $12,550 for transport between Singapore and Diego Garcia.
In 2009, Topp and Martin Hamilton of Kew Gardens compiled the most recent checklist of vegetation on Diego Garcia.
In 2009, the UK proposed that the BIOT become a "marine reserve" with the aim of preventing the former inhabitants from returning to the islands.
On 1 April 2010, the Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA) was declared to cover the waters around the Chagos Archipelago.
In August 2010, the ship composition of MPSRON TWO was dynamic, and comprised of multiple ships.
As of 2010, the four satellite antenna radomes around the site of the demolished AN/AX-16 High Frequency Radio direction finding Circularly Disposed Antenna Array on Diego Garcia remained.
December 2014 marked the start of a two-year window (December 2014 – December 2016) in which either the US or the UK could give notice of termination of the agreement concerning the use of the BIOT for defense purposes.
On 18 March 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the Chagos Marine Protected Area was illegal.
In 2015, Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, stated that Diego Garcia was used by the CIA for "nefarious activities," including as a transit site for temporary housing and interrogation.
In December 2016, the original 50-year term of the agreement between the US and UK for the use of the BIOT for defense purposes ended. However, the agreement was extended for another 20 years to 2036.
As of 2016, the British expulsion action of Chagossians remains in litigation. Many Chagossians are impoverished and marginalized on Mauritius and the Seychelles.
In 2016, there were discussions between the United Kingdom and the United States concerning the continuing importance of the joint base on Diego Garcia. Neither party gave notice to terminate the agreement, which remains in force until 2036.
On 23 June 2017, the United Nations General Assembly voted to refer the territorial dispute between Mauritius and the UK to the International Court of Justice.
In February 2019, the ICJ ruled that the United Kingdom must transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, as they were not legally separated from Mauritius in 1965.
In May 2019, the United Nations General Assembly affirmed the decision of the International Court of Justice and demanded that the United Kingdom withdraw its colonial administration from the Islands.
In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating that the decolonisation of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when it gained independence in 1968, and the UK was obligated to end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago.
In June 2020, a Mauritian official offered to allow the United States to retain its military base on Diego Garcia if Mauritius regained sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago.
In February 2021, the completion of two new 13-metre radomes on Diego Garcia, built by Black Construction/Mace International JV, was expected.
In April 2021, the completion of a 34-metre antenna facility, built by Black Construction/Mace International JV on Diego Garcia, was expected.
Since October 2021, there have been asylum seekers on Diego Garcia.
In September 2022, the completion of SJC-BVIL's project to move underground the overhead power and telephone lines that run from the Navy ammunition area to the Air Force ammunition area along DG1 on Diego Garcia was expected.
On 3 November 2022, the British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that the UK and Mauritius had decided to begin negotiations on sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory, taking into account international legal proceedings. Both states had agreed to ensure the continued operation of the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia.
On 3 October 2024, the UK announced it would hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with the UK initially leasing the base for 99 years. Resettlement on Diego Garcia would not be allowed initially. The deal was put on hold following the 2024 United States presidential election.
On 1 April 2025, the new US administration approved letting treaty negotiations between UK and Mauritius continue.
An agreement signed by the United Kingdom and Mauritius on May 22, 2025, will see sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago returned to Mauritius on the condition that Diego Garcia will continue to be administered by the United Kingdom for at least 99 years.
In May 2025, UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey claimed that if the UK did not cede the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) to Mauritius, it could face losing legal rulings "within weeks", and "within just a few years" the base at Diego Garcia "would become inoperable".
In May 2025, a treaty was signed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands from the UK to Mauritius, with a provision for the military base on Diego Garcia to remain under British control for at least 99 years.
On May 2025, Starmer signed a formal agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while leasing Diego Garcia back to the UK for 99 years, allowing continued operation of the joint British-American base. This agreement includes an additional 40-year extension and a right of first refusal.
Under the terms of the UK-Mauritius Agreement signed in May 2025, Mauritius will have sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, but the UK will retain administrative rights over Diego Garcia, including a 12-nautical-mile zone surrounding it, for at least 99 years to maintain its military bases. The UK will handle defense, security, and criminal/civil jurisdiction related to the bases. Mauritius will have jurisdiction over its nationals and persons not connected to the bases. The UK may not issue coins or postage stamps or register vital records for persons not connected to the bases. Mauritius will own the island's natural and marine resources and handle environmental management. Exiled Chagossians and their descendants are not permitted to return to the island.
In June 2025, British Conservatives asserted that the restitution agreement will cost the British taxpayer more than the agreement to return the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius was expected to cost.
In January 2026, the Trump administration reversed their previous approval of the transfer of Diego Garcia to Mauritius. Donald Trump criticized the plan on Truth Social, calling it an act of "GREAT STUPIDITY" and linking it to the ongoing Greenland crisis.
In February 2026, UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, was accused by the Conservatives of misleading parliament. This was regarding claims made in May 2025, that if the UK did not cede the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) to Mauritius, it could face losing legal rulings and the base at Diego Garcia would become inoperable.
2036 marks the potential end of the extended agreement between the US and UK regarding the use of the BIOT for defense purposes, unless further extended.
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