Île du Coin
| Île du Coin | |
 Abandoned church on Île du Coin | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| Location: | 5°27’17"S, 71°46’3"E |
| Area: | 315 acres |
| Data | |
| Population: | 0 |
Île du Coin is an island of Peros Banhos in the British Indian Ocean Territory, at the south-western corner of the atoll, hence its name. It is on the reef forming the western side of Peros Banhos, as that platform of coral turns the corner, emerging again in two further islets, Mapou de l'Île du Coin and Île Fouquet.
This is the largest island of Peros Banhos, at 315 acres. It is a mile and a half long, and climbs to just six feet above the waves.[1] It was formerly inhabited: the Perch Settlement was established here, from where the coconut plantations of the atoll were run. Île du Coin was the main port of the Beros Banhos, and had a jetty to load and unload merchandise. There is an abandoned church on the island,[2] with some 150 graves.[1] The island was abandoned when the all the inhabitants of the Chagos Islands were removed in 1973.
Abandoned coconut plantations form about 92% of the vegetation on the island. A rat-infestation limits the number of breeding birds on the island.[3]
2026 occupation
On 16 February 2026, four British Chagossians, former islanders or their descendants, landed on Île du Coin to establish a settlement. They did so without seeking government permission, and in breach of the territory's law against unauthorised entry and settlement. They became the first Chagossians to live on the islands since the removal of the plantation workers and their families in 1971.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Feasibility Study for the Resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Volume II: Annexes)". 31 January 2015. pp. 3-9. https://qna.files.parliament.uk/ws-attachments/178757%5Coriginal%5CFeasibility%20study%20for%20the%20resettlement%20of%20the%20British%20Indian%20Ocean%20Territory%20Volume%202%20Annexes.pdf.
- ↑ "Chagos Islands: an explainer". 6 October 2024. https://rleighturner.com/chagos-islands/.
- ↑ Carr, Peter; Trevail, Alice; Sara Bárrios; Clubbe, Colin; Freeman, Robin; Koldewey, Heather J.; Votier, Stephen C.; Wilkinson, Tim et al. (July 2021). "Potential benefits to breeding seabirds of converting abandoned coconut plantations to native habitats after invasive predator eradication". Restoration Ecology 29 (5). doi:10.1111/rec.13386. https://pure.hw.ac.uk/ws/files/50518449/rec.13386_1_.pdf. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ↑ "Starmer's Chagos Islands deal hits new crisis after judge blocks removal of islanders". 19 February 2026. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chagos-islands-deal-uk-trump-starmer-mauritius-b2924024.html.
| Peros Banhos in the British Indian Ocean Territory |
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Northern reef: Île de la Passe •
Moresby Island •
Île Saint-Brandon •
Île Parasol •
Île Longue •
Grande Île Bois Mangue •
Petite Île Bois Mangue •
Île Manoël •
Île Animaux
|