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Introduction
The French Southern Territories (in French, Territoire des Terres Australes et antarctiques françaises) is an overseas territory of France, made up of various islands located in the south indian ocean. The French government includes in this territory its claim on the Antarctica, not internationally recognized. This group of islands includes some of the most remote and least intervened points in the world, such as the Kerguelen Island.
Understand
The Southlands consist of two near-polar archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They have no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers who study native fauna. The "Antarctic Lands" portion consists of the Adelie Land, a thin portion of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840, and set apart by the Antarctic Treaty.
In 2019, the archipelagos of the Crozet, Kerguelen, St. Paul and Amsterdam islands were collectively listed as a natural UNESCO World Heritage site.
The French Southern and Antarctic Lands consist of a few islands in the Indian Ocean that were separated from what was then the colony of Madagascar in the 1950s.
This overseas territory includes Kerguelen with the largest "city", Port-aux-Français, the islands of Saint Paul and Amsterdam to the east and the Crozet islands to the west (different time zone). Apart from the scientists and a modest military presence, all these islands are uninhabited, also because of the harsh and inhuman climate.
Officially, Adelia also belongs to this overseas territory as a French territorial claim over Antarctica, but due to the Antarctic Treaty, all those territorial claims are frozen. Since 2007, the "Îles Éparses", some islands scattered around Reunion, have been incorporated into the French Southern and Antarctic Territories.
Regions
- Kerguelen (Archipel des Kerguelen), a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeastern Africa, roughly equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia;
- The islands St. Paul and Amsterdam (Îles Saint Paul et Amsterdam), a group north of Kerguelen;
- Crozet Islands (Îles Crozet), a group in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Madagascar;
- Adélie Land (Terre Adélie), the French claim on the Antarctic continent;
- the Scattered Islands of the Indian Ocean (Îles Éparses), a group of islands scattered around the coast of Madagascar.
To get
A research ship from La Reunion approaches the archipelago four times a year. There is the possibility of joining a research group as a tourist. But the fun doesn't come cheap - a high four-digit amount is expected for the crossing, so you get anything but luxury (including crossing in shared staterooms).
Travel
Walking. It is hardly possible to "commute" between the individual islands.
To buy
Economic activity is limited to the service of meteorological and geophysical research stations and of French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed at Iles Kerguelen by foreign vessels are exported to France and Reunion.
Eat and drink
Sheep are raised on the islands to feed scientists. Nor does anything else grow on the islands. Therefore, you must be prepared for monotonous and repetitive meals.
Sleep
There is no public accommodation on these islands.
stay safe
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes.
Stay healthy
All these islands have harsh environments, especially in the southern winter. There is a small hospital in Port-aux-Francaises, Kerguelen.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on French Southern Territories.w: French Southern Territories
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about French Southern Territories. Commons
