ARCHIVE // TF // 2001

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

2001 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.tf
Economy
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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.
Geography
Area [time series]
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 [time series]
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Climate [time series]
antarctic
Coastline [time series]
1,232 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
43 00 S, 67 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean
Irrigated land [time series]
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location [time series]
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"
Map references [time series]
Antarctic Region
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea: 12 NM
Natural hazards [time series]
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Natural resources [time series]
fish, crayfish
Terrain [time series]
volcanic
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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
Country name [time series]
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 [time series]
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)
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of France is used
Legal system [time series]
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
People
Population [time series]
no indigenous inhabitants (July 2001 est.) note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
Transportation
Airports [time series]
none
Merchant marine [time series]
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.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
none; offshore anchorage only
Waterways [time series]
none