Diego Garcia is the largest Atoll Island of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean (photo)

Diego Garcia is the largest atoll island of the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean, located 1600 km south of Hindustan and 1200 km south of the Maldives.

The lagoon, with an area of ​​about 27 km², is surrounded by a narrow strip of surface coral reefs.

Diego Garcia has a length of about 60 km, a maximum height of about 7 meters above sea level.

The atoll consists of four islands. The largest of them is the island of Diego Garcia. In addition to this island, the atoll includes small islands:

• West Island (3.4 ha);
• Middle Island (6 ha);
• Eastern Island (11.75 ha).

The island was discovered by the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama at the beginning of the XVI century.

In 1966, the population of the island was only 924 people, at the moment – the population is about three thousand people.

Since 1973, a large US military base has been located on the island.

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