!!!British Indian Ocean Territory: Government
||Country name|''conventional long form'': British Indian Ocean Territory \\ ''conventional short form'': none \\ ''abbreviation'': BIOT \\ ''etymology'': self-descriptive name specifying the territory's affiliation and location \\ 
||Dependency status|overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
||Legal system|the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
||Executive branch|''chief of state'': Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) \\ ''head of government'': Commissioner Dr. Peter HAYES (since 17 October 2012); Administrator John MCMANUS (since April 2011); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia \\ ''cabinet'': NA \\ ''elections/appointments'': the monarchy is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch \\ 
||Diplomatic representation in the US|none (overseas territory of the UK)
||Diplomatic representation from the US|none (overseas territory of the UK)
||Flag description|white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown (the symbols of the territory) centered on the outer half of the flag; the wavy stripes represent the Indian Ocean; although not officially described, the six blue stripes may stand for the six main atolls of the archipelago