1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 7,781 sq km land: 7,781 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
Area-comparative
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Climate
antarctic
Coastline
1,232 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Kerguelen 1,850 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
43 00 S, 67 00 E
Geography-note
remote location in the southern Indian Ocean
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
south of 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 hazards
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Natural resources
fish, crayfish
Terrain
volcanic
People and Society
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: there were 101 (1997) 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
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
Data code
FS
Dependency status
overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by a high commissioner of the Republic
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Legal system
NA Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Economy
Budget
revenues: $14.2 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
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.
Transportation
Airports
none
Merchant marine
total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,164,686 GRT/3,805,913 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 7, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12 note: French Southern and Antarctic Lands owns 3 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 78,691 DWT that operate under French registry (1997 est.)
Military and Security
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US