Glorioso Islands

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The Glorieuses or Glorioso Islands (French: Îles Glorieuses or officially also Archipel des Glorieuses) are group of islands and rocks totalling 5 km², at [11°30′S 47°20′E], in the northern Mozambique channel, about 160 km northwest of Madagascar. The Glorieuses have an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 48,350 km². There are anchorages offshore, and Grande Glorieuse has a 1,300-metre-long airstrip.

Map

The archipelago consists of two islands, Grande Glorieuse and Île du Lys, as well as eight rock islets (Roches Vertes): Wreck Rock, South Rock and Verte Rocks (three) and three others that are unnamed. They form part of a coral reef and lagoon. Grande Glorieuses is roughly circular and measures about 3 km across. It is thickly vegetated, mainly by the remains of a coconut plantation and casuarina trees.

Île du Lys, about five miles northeast of Grande Glorieuses, is about 600 metres long and consists of sand dunes and scrub with some mangroves. It was formerly quarried for phosphate (guano).

Satellite image of the Glorieuses Islands

The Glorieuses were named and settled in 1880 by a Frenchman, Hippolyte Caltaux, who established a coconut and maize plantation on Grande Glorieuse. The archipelago became a French possession in 1892. From 1914 to 1958 concessions to exploit the islands were given to Seychelles companies.

The islands are today nature reserves with a meteorological station garrisoned by French troops. They are claimed by Madagascar, the Seychelles and the Comoros.

The climate is tropical and the terrain is low and flat, varying from sea level to 12 m. Île de Lys in particular is a nesting ground for migratory seabirds, and turtles lay eggs on the beaches.

Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean
Bassas da India | Europa Island | Glorioso Islands | Juan de Nova Island | Tromelin Island

Overseas French departments and territories
Département d'outre-mer>Departments : Guadeloupe¹ · French Guiana · Martinique · Réunion
These overseas departments are also overseas regions.
¹Guadeloupe currently includes Saint-Barthélemy and Saint Martin, who have voted to become separate collectivités d'outre-mer in 2003; the change will be implemented in early 2007.
Overseas community : Mayotte (collectivité départementale) · French Polynesia (pays d'outre-mer) · Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (collectivité territoriale) · Wallis and Futuna (territoire)
Each overseas community has its own status.
Special status : New Caledonia
Uninhabited lands : French Southern Territories (Amsterdam Island, Saint-Paul Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Adélie Land) · Clipperton · Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean

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