| 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. |
| Location: |
south of Africa,
islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant
between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
Southern and Antarctic Lands includes 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
land: 7,781 sq km
water: 0 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 |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly less
than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1993) |
| 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 |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants (July 2001 est.)
note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers
whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) |
| 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
High Commissioner of the Republic Brigitte GIRARDIN (since
25 March 1998), 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 US: |
none (overseas
territory of France) |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of
France is used |
| 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. |
| Internet
country code: |
.tf |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; offshore
anchorage only |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
74 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,024,194 GRT/5,255,703
DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 5, chemical tanker
9, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 23, roll
on/roll off 12
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000
est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of France |
| Disputes
- international: |
"Adelie
Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US |
|
