Bouvet Island (2001) | French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 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 |
Airports | - | none |
Area | total:
58.5 sq km land: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
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 | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
Background | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825 when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. | 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. |
Climate | antarctic | antarctic |
Coastline | 29.6 km | 1,232 km |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
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 | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo | 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 | - | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | none | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US |
Economy - overview | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve | 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. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Flag description | the flag of Norway is used | the flag of France is used |
Geographic coordinates | 54 26 S, 3 24 E | 43 00 S, 67 00 E |
Geography - note | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | 0 sq km (1993) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
Legal system | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) | 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 | Antarctic Region | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
4 NM |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | 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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | defense is the responsibility of France |
Natural hazards | NA | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes |
Natural resources | none | fish, crayfish |
Population | uninhabited (July 2001 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2001 est.)
note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | none; offshore anchorage only |
Terrain | volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 m; coast is mostly inaccessible | volcanic |
Waterways | none | none |