FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS
(overseas territory of France)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 7,781 km2; land area: 7,781 km2; includes Ile
Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Crozet;
excludes Terre Adelie claim of about 500,000 km2 in Antarctica
that is not recognized by the US

Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (Iles Kerguelen only);

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica is not recognized by
the US

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

Environment: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct
volcanoes

Note: located in the southern Indian Ocean about equidistant
between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia

PEOPLE
Population: summer (January 1991)--180, winter (July 1991)--150,
growth rate 0.0% (1991);
note--mostly researchers

GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic
Lands

Type: overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High
Administrator Bernard de GOUTTES (since NA May 1990), who is
assisted by a 7-member Consultative Council and a 12-member Scientific
Council

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 Terre Adelie
claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Flag: the flag of France is used

ECONOMY
Overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological
and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.
The fishing catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are
exported to France and Reunion.

Budget: $33.6 million (1990)

COMMUNICATIONS
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
220,392 GRT/350,131 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo,
2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
2 liquefied gas, 2 bulk; note--a captive subset of the French register

Telecommunications: NA

DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force)

Note: defense is the responsibility of France