Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008) - Iles Eparses (2006)

Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008) z Iles Eparses (2006)

	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008)	Iles Eparses (2006)

Airports	-	4 (2006)
Area	total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands	Bassas da India: total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island: total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km Glorioso Islands: total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island: total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km Tromelin Island: total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Rhode Island	Bassas da India: land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Europa Island: about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC Glorioso Islands: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background	The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.	The Iles Eparses, or scattered islands, are a group of five French entities - Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island - which on 1 April 1960 came under the authority of the Minister in charge of overseas possessions. On 19 September 1960 by decree, the islands were transferred to the charge of the Prefet of Reunion where they remained until 3 January 2005 when they were transferred by another decree to the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide. Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: 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. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.
Climate	variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow	tropical
Coastline	NA km	Bassas da India: 35.2 km Europa Island: 22.2 km Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km Tromelin Island: 3.7 km
Country name	conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none abbreviation: SGSSI	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Bassas da India, Ile Europa, Iles Glorieuses, Ile Juan de Nova, Ile Tromelin
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II	possessions of France; administered by the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), resident in Reunion
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	-
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	-
Disputes - international	Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force	Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: claimed by Madagascar Tromelin Island: claimed by Mauritius
Economy - overview	Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.	no economic activity
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all unnamed locations)
Environment - current issues	NA	-
Executive branch	-	chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON
Flag description	blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)	the flag of France is used
Geographic coordinates	54 30 S, 37 00 W	Bassas da India: 21 30 S, 39 50 E Europa Island: 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands: 11 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island: 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island: 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Geography - note	the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia	Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)
Irrigated land	0 sq km	-
Land boundaries	0 km	none
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)	Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and scattered brush
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Location	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America	Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean Bassas da India: atoll in the southern Mozambique Channel, about half way from Madagascar to Mozambique Europa Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique Glorioso Islands: group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar Juan de Nova Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique Tromelin Island: island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references	Antarctic Region	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note - Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	defense is the responsibility of France
Natural hazards	the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism	all islands subject to periodic cyclones Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs
Natural resources	fish	Bassas da India and Europa Island: none Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts Tromelin Island: fish
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited	Bassas da India: uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists
Radio broadcast stations	0 (2003)	-
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken	-
Television broadcast stations	0 (2003)	-
Terrain	most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes	Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Transportation - note	-	aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m

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