Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean
Encyclopedia : S : SC : SCA : Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean
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The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (French: Îles Éparses or Îles éparses de l'océan indien) comprise four small coral islands and an atoll in the Indian Ocean. They have no permanent population. Three of the islands, Glorieuses, Juan de Nova and Europa, as well as the Bassas da India atoll lie in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while the fourth island, Tromelin, is about 220 miles east of Madagascar. Also in the Mozambique Channel is Banc du Geyser, not claimed by any nation until 1976 when it was annexed by Madagascar.
The islands, under French sovereignty have been classified as nature reserves. They support meteorological stations. The station on Tromelin island in particular provides warning of cyclones threatening Madagascar, Réunion or Mauritius. Each of the islands has an airstrip of more than 1,000 metres. Madagascar and Mauritius dispute France's sovereignty over some of the islands.
Administration
Since January 3, 2005, the Iles éparses have been administered on behalf of the French state by the senior administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF — les Terres Australes et Antartiques Francaises), based in Réunion. The Iles Eparses had previously been under the administration of the prefect of Réunion since the independence of Madagascar in 1960. France maintains a military garrison of around 14 troops on each of the islands in the Mozambique Channel, which are claimed by Madagascar. The Glorieuses islands are also claimed by the Comoros, while Mauritius claims Tromelin island.The Iles Eparses and the islands of Réunion and Mayotte give France an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of more than one million square kilometers in the western Indian Ocean.
Islands
- Bassas da India
- *Ten unnamed rock islets
- Europa Island
- *Île Europa
- *Eight unnamed rock islets
- Glorioso Islands
- *Grande Glorieuse
- *Île du Lys
- *Wreck Rock
- *South Rock
- *Verte Rocks (three islets)
- *Three unnamed islets
- Juan de Nova Island
- Tromelin Island
See also
- French overseas departments and territories
- Administrative divisions of France
- Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
- French Southern and Antarctic Territories
Related links
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. |
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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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