French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2003) | Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2007) | |
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 (2002) | - |
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: 412 sq km
land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware | slightly more than two times 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. | These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve. |
Climate | antarctic | antarctic |
Coastline | 1,232 km | 101.9 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: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIMI |
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) | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US | none |
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. | The islands have no indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government allows limited fishing in the surrounding waters. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of Australia is used |
Geographic coordinates | 43 00 S, 67 00 E | 53 06 S, 72 31 E |
Geography - note | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean | - |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply |
Location | southeast 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" | islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,596,194 GRT/5,924,475 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 4, chemical tanker 14, container 15, liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 2 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 | defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols |
Natural hazards | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | fish |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2003 est.) |
uninhabited |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Terrain | volcanic | Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky |
Waterways | none | - |