Flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory
| Proportion | 1:2 |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 8 November 1990 |
| Design | A Blue Ensign with 7 wavy white stripes, with a palm tree on the hoist side and a crown over it. |
The flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory is similar to the flags of other British dependencies and colonies as it has the Union Flag in the upper hoist-side corner. The palm tree and crown are symbols of the territory. The flag was initially intended to be used by the commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory but has gained semi-official status as a territorial flag for use on land.
Overview
The flag contains the Union Flag in its canton (upper hoist quarter). It depicts the waters of the Indian Ocean, where the islands are located, in the form of white and blue wavy lines.[1] The flag also depicts a palm tree rising above the St Edward's Crown.[2]
The flag was granted by Queen Elizabeth II on the 25th anniversary of the British Indian Ocean Territory's creation in 1990.[3] is that of the commissioner and has only semi-official status as a territorial flag.[4] It was designed for the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory,[5] who is based at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London.[6]
Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, the main US navy base in the territory (on the main island Diego Garcia), featured the flag in a promotional video. In one scene, the flag is shown flying on land within the base.[2]
Other images
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The flag as used in 1990
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The flag flying on Diego Garcia
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The flag flying on the Foreign Office building in London, November 2012.
See also
References
- ^ "British Indian Ocean Territory Map and Information Page". WorldAtlas.com. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ a b Command Video. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. Accessed 28 August 2006.
- ^ Official BIOT Emblems Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Cable and Wireless Diego Garcia. Accessed 1 February 2007.
- ^ "British Indian Ocean Territory". Flags of the World.
- ^ Flags of the World – British Indian Ocean Territory. Accessed 28 August 2006
- ^ CIA – The World Factbook – British Indian Ocean Territory. Accessed 28 August 2006