French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2002) | Dhekelia (2004) | |
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 (2001) | - |
Area | total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 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 |
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. |
Capital | - | Episkopi; located in Akrotiri |
Climate | antarctic | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
Coastline | 1,232 km | - |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US | - |
Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
- |
Environment - current issues | NA | netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of the UK is used |
Geographic coordinates | 43 00 S, 67 00 E | 34 59 N, 33 45 E |
Geography - note | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | - |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
- |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
Location | south of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include 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" | on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Middle East |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM |
- |
Merchant marine | total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,815,472 GRT/4,806,161 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 13, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 11 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2, France 62, Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5, Sweden 1 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway |
Natural hazards | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | - |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | - |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) |
no indigenous personnel
note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Terrain | volcanic | - |
Waterways | none | - |