 In 1965, three years before the independence of Mauritius, the United Kingdom split the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius and the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches from the Seychelles to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).The islands were formally established as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom on 8 November 1965.On 23 June 1976, Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches were returned to Seychelles as a result of its attaining independence.