French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Background: The Southern Lands consist of two
archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands,
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul.
They contain no permanent
inhabitants and are visited only by
researchers studying the native
fauna. The Antarctic portion
consists of "Adelie Land," a thin
slice of the Antarctic continent
discovered and claimed by the French
in 1840.
Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Location: south of Africa, islands in the
southern Indian Ocean, about
equidistant between Africa,
Antarctica, and Australia; note -
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-
Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles
Kerguelen in the southern Indian
Ocean, along with the French-claimed
sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land";
the US does not recognize the French
claim to "Adelie Land"
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 S, 67 00 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 7,781 sq km
note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile
Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land"
claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by
the US
water: 0 sq km
land: 7,781 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the
size of Delaware
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,232 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from
Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles
Kerguelen 1,850 m
Natural resources: fish, crayfish
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are
extinct volcanoes
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: islands component is widely
scattered across remote locations in
the southern Indian Ocean
People French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Population: no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002
est.)
note: in 1997, there were about 100
researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January)
Population growth rate: NA
Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Country name: conventional long form: Territory of
the French Southern and Antarctic
Lands
conventional short form: French
Southern and Antarctic Lands
local long form: Territoire des
Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises
local short form: Terres Australes
et Antarctiques Francaises
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since
1955; administered from Paris by
Administrateur Superieur Francois
GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted
by Secretary General Jean-Yves
HERMOSO (since NA)
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France);
there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are
3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles
Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et
Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land"
claim in Antarctica that is not
recognized by the US
Legal system: the laws of France, where
applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the none (overseas territory of France)
US:
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to
servicing meteorological and
geophysical research stations and
French and other fishing fleets. The
fish catches landed on Iles
Kerguelen by foreign ships are
exported to France and Reunion.
Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Internet country code: .tf
Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 2,815,472 GRT/4,806,161 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5,
chemical tanker 13, container 11,
liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker
19, roll on/roll off 11
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 2, France 62,
Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5, Sweden
1 (2002 est.)
Airports: none (2001)
Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Military - note: defense is the responsibility of
France
Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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Disputes - international: "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is
not recognized by the US
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