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  French Southern and Antarctic Lands
(overseas territory of France)
 
Flag of French Southern and Antarctic Lands
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This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007


Map of French Southern and Antarctic Lands



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
southeast 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:
Definition Field Listing
43 00 S, 67 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Antarctic Region
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 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:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
1,232 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
antarctic
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
volcanic
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish, crayfish
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean
   People    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
no indigenous inhabitants
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)
   Government    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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
abbreviation: TAAF
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
the flag of France is used
   Economy    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.tf
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38 (2006)
   Transportation    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
none; offshore anchorage only
   Military    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of France
   Transnational Issues    French Southern and Antarctic Lands Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007


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