French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2006) | Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2001) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US | - |
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 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 abbreviation: TAAF |
conventional long form:
Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
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 | French claim to "Adelie Land" 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. | no economic activity |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
lowest point:
Southern Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON | - |
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 | primarily used for research stations |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
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" | Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands) |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Natural hazards | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.) |
uninhabited (July 2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Terrain | volcanic | Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky |
Waterways | - | none |