CHAGOS  , a

group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, belonging to Britain, disposed in circular form round the Chagos bank, in 40 44' to 70 39' S., and 700 55' to 72° 52' E . The atolls on the south and east side of the bank, which has a circumference of about 270 m., have disappeared through subsidence; a few—Egmont, Danger, Eagle, and Three Brothers—still remain on the east side, but most of the population (about 700) is centred on Diego Garcia, which lies on the south-east side, and is nearly r3 m. long by 6 m. wide . The lagoon, which is enclosed by two coral barriers and accessible to the largest vessels on the north side, forms one of the finest natural harbours in the world . The group, which has a total land area of 76 sq. m., is dependent for administrative purposes on Mauritius, and is regularly visited by vessels from that colony . The only product is cocoa-nut oil, of which about so6,000 gallons are annually exported . The French occupied the islands in 1791 from Mauritius, and the oil industry (from which the group is sometimes called the Oil Islands) came into the hands of French Creoles .