1996 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1996 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Description
the flag of France is used
Location
43 00 S, 67 00 E -- Southern 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" Flag ----
Geography
Area
- comparative area
- slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware
- land area
- 7,781 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 area
- 7,781 sq km
Climate
antarctic
Coastline
1,232 km
Environment
- current issues
- NA
- international agreements
- NA
- natural hazards
- Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Geographic coordinates
43 00 S, 67 00 E
Geographic note
remote location in the southern Indian Ocean
International disputes
"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- forest and woodland
- 0%
- meadows and pastures
- 0%
- other
- 100%
- permanent crops
- 0%
Location
Southern 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
Maritime claims
- exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen only
- territorial sea
- 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, crayfish
Terrain
- volcanic
- highest point
- Mont Ross on Kerguelen 1,850 m
- lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
People and Society
Population
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there were 145 (1995) mostly researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)
Government
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
Capital
none; administered from Paris, France
Data code
FS
Flag
the flag of France is used
Independence
none (overseas territory of France)
Name of country
- 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
Type of government
overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High Administrator Christian DORS (since 4 December 1991)
Economy
Budget
- expenditures
- $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
- revenues
- $22.6 million
Economic 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.
Communications
Defense note
defense is the responsibility of France
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios
NA
Telephone system
- domestic
- NA
- international
- NA
Telephones
NA
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
NA Defense
Transportation
Airports
none (1994 est.)
Merchant marine
- note
- a subset of the French register allowing French-owned ships to operate under more liberal taxation and manning regulations than permissable under the main French register (1995 est.)
- ships by type
- bulk 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 7, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, specialized tanker 1
- total
- 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,133,942 GRT/3,617,863 DWT
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only