Chagos Archipelago (including Diego Garcia)

Geography

The Chagos Archipelago is located at 06^o26’ south and 72^o00’ east,  approximately 2,200 km north-east of the main Island of Mauritius.  It has an area of 60 km². 

The Chagos Archipelago is composed of  numerous atolls and  islands. The largest  atolls  are Diego Garcia in the south-east and Peros Banhos and Salomon Islands, both in the north. The largest individual islands  are Diego Garcia, Eagle Island (Great Chagos Bank), Ile Pierre (Peros Banhos), Eastern Egmont (Egmont Islands), Ile du Coin (Peros Banhos) and Ile Boddam (Salomon Islands).

History

Originally discovered by Portuguese explorers in the early 16th century, the Chagos Archipelago  was later claimed by  France in the 18th century before becoming a British colony in the 19th century as an integral part of Mauritius. In 1965, three years before Mauritius obtained its independence, the  Chagos Archipelago was illegally excised by the United Kingdom from the territory of Mauritius.

The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of 25 February 2019, UN General Assembly Resolution 73/295 and the Judgment of the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) of 28 January 2021 have made it clear that as a matter of international law, the Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the  territory of Mauritius.

Demographics

In the wake of the excision of the Chagos Archipelago from the territory of Mauritius, the United Kingdom forcibly removed all the inhabitants of the Archipelago.  Most of them were moved to Mauritius.

Environmental Significance

The  Chagos Archipelago  boasts  a pristine environment and harbours an unparalleled richness of marine life. 

The Government of Mauritius, which is committed to preserving the terrestrial and marine environment of the Chagos Archipelago, has initiated action for the creation of a Marine Protected Area in the Chagos Archipelago, with the support of relevant partners, including NGOs and the Chagossian community.

The ‘marine protected area’ which the United Kingdom purported to establish in 2010 around the Chagos Archipelago is illegal and cannot be enforced in the light of the Arbitral Award delivered on 18 March 2015 in the case of Mauritius v. United Kingdom, the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ of 25 February 2019, UN General Assembly Resolution 73/295 and the Judgment of the Special Chamber of ITLOS of 28 January 2021.