It depicts the waters of the Indian Ocean, where the islands are located, in the form of white and blue wavy lines.

[2] The flag also depicts a palm tree rising above the St Edward's Crown.

It is understood that the flag, which was granted by Queen Elizabeth II on the 25th anniversary of the BIOT in 1990,[3] is that of the Commissioner and has only semi-official status.

Given that it is impossible for civilians to visit the British Indian Ocean Territory, it is not clear how widely this flag is used.

However, a video released by the Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia shows a scene where the flag is being flown on land within the territory.