British Overseas Territories

British Overseas Territories
Flag of the United Kingdom
Largest settlements	George Town, Gibraltar, Road Town
Languages	English, Greek, Spanish, Llanito, Turkish, Portuguese and Pitkern
Demonym	British, Briton
Territories	14 territories Akrotiri and Dhekelia Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands
Leaders
• Monarch	Elizabeth II
• Foreign Secretary	Boris Johnson
• Minister of State	Baroness Anelay
• Minister of State	Alan Duncan
Area
• Total	1,727,570 km2 (667,020 sq mi)
Population
• 2010 estimate	250,000
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)

The 14 British Overseas Territories (BOT) are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They are those parts of the former British Empire that have not chosen independence or have voted to remain British territories. Most of the inhabited territories are internally self-governing, with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations. The rest are either uninhabited or have a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. They share the British monarch (Elizabeth II) as head of state.

The term "British Overseas Territory" was introduced by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, replacing the term British Dependent Territory, introduced by the British Nationality Act 1981. Prior to 1 January 1983, the territories were officially referred to as British Crown Colonies. With the exceptions of the British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (which host only officials and research station staff) and the British Indian Ocean Territory (used as a military base), the Territories retain permanent civilian populations. Permanent residency for the 7,000 or so civilians living in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is limited to citizens of the Republic of Cyprus.

Collectively, the Territories encompass a population of about 250,000 people and a land area of about 667,018 square miles (1,727,570 km²). The vast majority of this, 660,000 square miles (1,700,000 km²), constitutes the British Antarctic Territory. The United Kingdom participates in the Antarctic Treaty System and, as part of a mutual agreement, the British Antarctic Territory is recognised by four of the other sovereign nations making claims to Antarctic territory.