Indivision - Countries of The World

General Information - French Southern territories

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (French: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, abbreviated TAAF), full name Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (French: Territoire des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises), consist of: a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa, approximately equidistant between Africa, Antarctica and Australia; Adélie Land, the French claim on the Antarctica continent under the Antarctic Treaty System; the Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean. The territory is also often called the French Southern Territories (French: Terres australes françaises), which excludes Adélie Land where French sovereignty is not recognized internationally. The lands are not connected to France Antarctique, a former French colony in Brazil. The territory has no permanent population ; the population consists of military personnel, civilian officials, scientific researchers and support staff. Some of the territory's exclusive economic zone is of great importance for fishing. The French Southern and Antarctic Lands have formed a territoire d'outre-mer (an overseas territory) of France since 1955. Formerly, they were administered from Paris by an administrateur supérieur assisted by a secretary-general; since December 2004, however, their administrator has been a préfet, currently Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot, with headquarters in Saint-Pierre on Réunion Island. The territory is divided into five districts: District Capital Winter Population Summer Population Area (km²) EEZ (km²) Îles Saint Paul et Amsterdam Martin-de-Viviès 25 45 61 502533 Archipel Crozet Alfred Faure 25 45 352 567475 Archipel des Kerguelen Port-aux-Français 70 110 7215 563869 Terre Adélie Dumont d'Urville Station 30 110 432000 - Îles Éparses(1) Saint-Christophe 56 56 38,6 593276 TAAF Saint-Pierre 150 310 439781 2274277