Background: The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen and two volcanic islands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of 'Adelie Land' a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Map reference: Antarctic Region, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 7,781 km²
Land: 7,781 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen only
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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%

Irrigated land: 0 km²

Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of France

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are researchers whose numbers vary from 150 in winter (July) to 200 in summer (January)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Conventional short form:

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

Capital: none; administered from Paris, France

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

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: 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: revenues:$17.5 million

Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 441,962 GRT/813,779 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, liquified gas 2, multifunction large load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4
Note: a captive subset of the French register

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