Chagos Archipelago

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chagos-archipelago

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Chagos Archipelago?Indian Ocean, approximately 500 km south of the Maldives
2. What is the capital of Chagos Archipelago?No civilian capital; Diego Garcia hosts the main military installation
3. What is the scientific name?Chagos Archipelago
4. What is the habitat?Tropical coral atolls and surrounding marine ecosystems
5. Why is Diego Garcia important?Diego Garcia is the biggest island in the archipelago and hosts a large United States military base, which helps the U.S. with logistics and communications in the region.
6. Who lived on the Chagos Islands before the 1970s?The Chagossian people lived there for generations, speaking Bourbonnais Creole, until they were forced to leave between 1967 and 1973.

Chagos-Laccadive Ridge: A vast underwater mountain range in the Indian Ocean, of which the Chagos Archipelago is the southernmost part.
Bourbonnais Creole: A French-based creole language historically spoken by the Chagossian people, originating from the Mascarene Islands.
Sovereignty Dispute: A disagreement between nations regarding the legal right to exercise authority over a territory or body of water.
International Court of Justice (ICJ): The principal judicial organ of the United Nations, responsible for settling legal disputes between states.