Îles Éparses / Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean

Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean Îles éparses de l'océan indien
Motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Location of the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean: • 1 : Bassas da India • 2 : Europa Island • 3 : Glorioso Islands • 4 : Juan de Nova Island • 5 : Tromelin Island (KM : Comoros, MG : Madagascar, MU : Mauritius, MZ : Mozambique, RE : Réunion, YT : Mayotte)

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The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (French: Îles Éparses or Îles éparses de l'océan indien) consist of four small coral islands, an atoll, and a reef in the Indian Ocean, and constitute the 5th district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) since February, 2007.^[1]. They have no permanent population. Three of the islands, the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova, and Europa, as well as the Bassas da India atoll, lie in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while the fourth island, Tromelin, lies about 220 miles east of Madagascar. Also in the Mozambique Channel is the Banc du Geyser, a reef which was annexed by Madagascar in 1976. France continues to view the Banc du Geyser as part of the Îles Éparses.^{[citation needed]}

The islands have been classified as nature reserves. Except for Bassas da India, they all support meteorological stations. The meteorological stations on the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova, and Europa Island are automated. The station on Tromelin Island, in particular, provides warning of cyclones threatening Madagascar, Réunion, or Mauritius. Each of the islands, except Bassas da India and Banc du Geyser, has an airstrip of more than 1,000 metres. Mauritius, the Comoros, Seychelles, and Madagascar dispute France's sovereignty over the islands. Mauritius claims Tromelin; the Comoros and Seychelles claim the Glorioso Islands; the Comoros and Madagascar claim Banc du Geyser; and Madagascar claims^[2] the remaining islands.

Overview

Individual islands

• Banc du Geyser
• Bassas da India
  • Ten unnamed rock islets
• Europa Island
  • Île Europa
  • Eight unnamed rock islets
• Glorioso Islands
  • Grande Glorieuse
  • Île du Lys
  • Wreck Rock
  • South Rock
  • Verte Rocks (three islets)
  • Three unnamed islets
• Juan de Nova Island
• Tromelin Island

Administration

Since January 3, 2005, the Îles Éparses have been administered on behalf of the French state by the senior administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF — les Terres Australes et Antartiques Françaises), based in Réunion. The Îles Éparses had previously been under the administration of the prefect of Réunion since the independence of Madagascar in 1960. France maintains a military garrison of around 14 troops on each of the islands in the Mozambique Channel that are claimed by Madagascar. The Glorioso Islands are also claimed by the Comoros, while Mauritius claims Tromelin Island.

France claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles around each of the small islands in the Îles Éparses, which together with the EEZ claims for the islands of Réunion and Mayotte totals more than one million square kilometres in the western Indian Ocean. There is considerable overlap of the EEZ with the neighbouring states.

See also

• French overseas departments and territories
• Administrative divisions of France
• French Southern and Antarctic Lands

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Scattered Islands

• Official site (in French)

v • d • e Districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands Kerguelen Islands · Crozet Islands · Îles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam · Adélie Land · Scattered Islands

v • d • e Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean Banc du Geyser · Bassas da India · Europa Island · Glorioso Islands · Juan de Nova Island · Tromelin Island

v • d • e Overseas departments and territories of France   Inhabited areas Overseas departments1 French Guiana · Guadeloupe · Martinique · Réunion Overseas collectivities French Polynesia · Mayotte2, 3 · St. Barthélemy · St. Martin · St. Pierre and Miquelon · Wallis and Futuna Special status New Caledonia   Uninhabited areas Pacific Ocean Clipperton Island French Southern and Antarctic Lands Île Amsterdam · Île Saint-Paul · Crozet Islands · Kerguelen Islands · Adélie Land Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean Banc du Geyser4 · Bassas da India4 · Europa Island4 · Glorioso Islands3, 4, 5 · Juan de Nova Island4 · Tromelin Island5, 6 1 Also known as overseas regions.  2 Overseas department by 2011  3 Claimed by Comoros.  4 Claimed by Madagascar.  5 Claimed by Seychelles.  6 Claimed by Mauritius.