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Background:
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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. |
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Geography |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
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Location:
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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"
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Geographic coordinates:
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43 00 S,
67 00 E |
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Map references:
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Antarctic
Region |
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Area:
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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 |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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1,232 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles
Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern
and Antarctic Lands) |
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Climate:
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antarctic
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Terrain:
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volcanic
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850
m |
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Natural resources:
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fish,
crayfish |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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Ile
Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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islands
component is widely scattered across remote locations in
the southern Indian Ocean |
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People |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
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Population:
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no
indigenous inhabitants (July 2005 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose
numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)
(July 2005 est.) |
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Country name:
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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 |
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Dependency status:
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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) |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Legal system:
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the laws
of France, where applicable, apply |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(overseas territory of France) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(overseas territory of France) |
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Flag description:
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the flag
of France is used |
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Economy |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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Internet country code:
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.tf |
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Ports and harbors:
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none;
offshore anchorage only |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker
21, container 19, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 15,
roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 71 (Belgium 5, Denmark 2, France
45, Germany 2, Greece 2, Hong Kong 5, Japan 4, Saudi
Arabia 1, Sweden 5) (2005) |
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Airports:
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none
(2004 est.) |
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Military |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of France |
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Disputes - international:
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French
claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized
by the United States |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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