ARCHIVE // RE // 2005
Juan de Nova Island
2005 Edition — territory
Communications
Communications - note
[time series]
1 meteorological station
Economy
Economic overview
(Economy - overview)
[time series]
Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 4.4 sq km land: 4.4 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
tropical
Coastline
[time series]
24.1 km
Elevation
(Elevation extremes)
[time series]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m
Environment - current issues
[time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
17 03 S, 42 45 E
Geography - note
[time series]
wildlife sanctuary
Irrigated land
[time series]
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)
Location
[time series]
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
Map references
[time series]
Africa
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
[time series]
periodic cyclones
Natural resources
[time series]
guano deposits and other fertilizers
Terrain
[time series]
low and flat
Government
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
Dependency status
[time series]
possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
none (possession 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]
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.
Military
Military - note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
People
Population
[time series]
no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
claimed by Madagascar
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Ports
(Ports and harbors)
[time series]
none; offshore anchorage only