French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Overseas territory of France

This article is about the French overseas territory. For the former French colony in Brazil, see France Antarctique. For Native American nonprofit organization, see Tribal Alliance Against Frauds.

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Overseas territory in France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (French)

Overseas territory

Flag

Coat of arms

Motto:

"Liberté, égalité, fraternité" (French) (English: "Liberty, equality, fraternity")

Anthem: La Marseillaise
("The Marseillaise")

Location of French Southern and Antarctic Lands (circled in red)

in the Indian Ocean

Sovereign state|  France
Territorial status| 6 August 1955[1]
Capital| Saint Pierre, Réunion
(headquarters, not geographically assigned)
43°00′S 67°00′E﻿ / ﻿43.000°S 67.000°E﻿ / -43.000; 67.000[2]
Largest settlement| Port-aux-Français
Official languages| French
Demonym(s)| French
Government

• President of the French Republic

| Emmanuel Macron

• Prefect, Administrator Superior

| Florence Jeanblanc-Risler

• Secretary General

| Amélie Puccinelli[3]
Legislature| Advisory Council of the TAAF
Area

• Total

| 439,666.4 km2 (169,756.1 sq mi)
Population

• Estimate

| Officially 400~800 permanent scientists and military personnel[4]
No known permanent population[5]
Currency| Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone|

* UTC+04:00
* UTC+05:00
* UTC+10:00

Driving side| Right
ISO 3166 code|

* TF
* FR-TF

Internet TLD| .tf
Website| taaf.fr/en/

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands[6] (French: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, TAAF) is an overseas territory (French: Territoire d'outre-mer or TOM) of France. It consists of:

* Adélie Land (Terre Adélie), the French claim on the continent of Antarctica.
* Crozet Islands (Îles Crozet), a group in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Madagascar.
* Kerguelen Islands (Archipel des Kerguelen), a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa and southwest of Australia.
* Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands (Îles Saint Paul et Amsterdam), a group to the north of the Kerguelen Islands.
* Scattered Islands (Îles Éparses), a dispersed group of islands around the coast of Madagascar.

The territory is sometimes referred to as the French Southern Lands (French: Terres australes françaises) or the French Southern Territories,[7] usually to emphasize non-recognition of French sovereignty over Adélie Land as part of the Antarctic Treaty System.[5]

The entire territory has no known permanently settled inhabitants. Approximately 150 (in the winter) to 310 (in the summer) people are usually present in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands at any time, but they are mainly made up of military personnel, officials, scientific researchers and support staff.[8]

On 5 July 2019, the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands, and the Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the "French Austral Lands and Seas" because of their pristine wilderness, biodiversity, and enormous bird colonies.[9]

Although the region's capital is based in Réunion, this island is a member of the Overseas departments and regions of France, and should not be confused with the overseas territories.

## History

[edit]

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands are an overseas territory of France that consist of the following:

* Adélie Land (Terre Adélie): This is the French claim on the southern most continent of Antarctica.
* Crozet Islands (Îles Crozet): A group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean, located south of Madagascar.
* Kerguelen Islands (Archipel des Kerguelen): A volcanic island group in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa.
* Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands (Îles Saint Paul et Amsterdam): A group of islands to the north of the Kerguelen Islands.
* Scattered Islands (Îles Éparses): A dispersed group of islands around the coast of Madagascar.

The islands became known in the 16th century, when the Spanish discovered Amsterdam Island on 18 March 1522, which was later claimed and named by the Dutch.[10] Saint Paul Island was discovered in 1559 by the Portuguese.[10] The Crozet islands were discovered on 24 January 1772 by French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne during an expedition.[11] Adelie Land was the last to be discovered, in 1840 by the French during an expedition led by Jules Dumont d'Urville, who would later have a research station on the island named after him.[12][13]

The entire territory has no known permanently settled inhabitants. It is mainly visited by military personnel, officials, scientific researchers, and support staff. In 2019, the Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, and Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their pristine wilderness, biodiversity, and enormous bird colonies.[9]

On 6 August 1955, French law reorganized the administration of the islands into a new overseas territory administered by France itself, changing the previous arrangement in which the territory was attached to Madagascar (then a French colony).[14]

The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean are partially claimed by the Comoros, Madagascar and Mauritius.[15] The Malagasy and Mauritian claims, however, are significantly later than their access to independence. However, the agreement reached in October 2024 on the restitution to Mauritius of the Chagos Islands by Great Britain, in the heart of the Indian Ocean, notably home to the American base of Diego Garcia, has relaunched the debate in Madagascar.[16]

## Administration

[edit]

See also: List of superior administrators of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

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 Florence Jeanblanc-Risler,[17][18] with headquarters in Saint Pierre on Réunion Island.

The TAAF administration, the French Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor (IPEV) and the French Navy jointly operate the icebreaker Astrolabe which is based out of Reunion. The vessel is used both to bring personnel and supplies to the Dumont d'Urville Station and for research and patrol duties.[19] The French armed forces also maintain small troop contingents on some of the Scattered Islands in order to protect the French territorial claim.[20]

The territory is divided into five districts:

District  | Administrative centre | Population  | Area | EEZ

|
|
|
|

Winter | Summer  | (km2)
Adélie Land | Dumont d'Urville Station | 30 | 110 | 432,000 | —
Crozet Islands | Alfred Faure | 25 | 45 | 352 | 567,475
Kerguelen Islands | Port-aux-Français | 70 | 110 | 7,215 | 563,869
Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands | Martin-de-Viviès | 25 | 45 | 61 | 502,533
Scattered Islandsa | Saint Pierreb, Réunion | 56 | 56 | 38.4 | 640,400
TAAF | Saint Pierrec, Réunion | 206 | 366 | 439,666.4 | 2,274,277

a According to new law 2007-224 of February 21, 2007, the Scattered Islands constitute the TAAF's fifth district.[21] The TAAF website does not mention their population. The data are not included in the totals.
b The Îles Éparses principal station is on Tromelin Island. The headquarters of the district chief lies beyond the TAAF, in Saint Pierre on Réunion Island.
c The Territory's principal station is Martin-de-Viviès on Amsterdam Island. The capital and headquarters of the territorial administrator lies beyond the TAAF, in Saint Pierre on Réunion Island.

Each district is headed by a district chief, who has powers similar to those of a French mayor (including recording births and deaths and being an officer of judicial police).

Because there is no permanent population, there is no elected assembly, nor does the territory send representatives to the national parliament.

## Geography

[edit]

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|

Map of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
Adélie Land (in Antarctica) and Banc du Geyser and Bassas da India (in the Îles Éparses district) are not shown. Kerguelen cabbages on Île Mayès, Kerguelen

The territory includes the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands, and the Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands in the southern Indian Ocean near 43°S, 67°E, along with Adélie Land, the sector of Antarctica claimed by France. Adélie Land, named by the French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville after his wife, covers about 432,000 km2 (167,000 sq mi). The islands, totaling 7,781 km2 (3,004 sq mi), have no indigenous inhabitants, although in 1997 there were approximately 100 researchers whose numbers varied from winter (July) to summer (January).

Amsterdam Island and Saint Paul Island are both extinct volcanoes and have been delineated as the Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands temperate grasslands ecoregion. The highest point in the territory is Mont Ross on Kerguelen Island, standing at 1,850 m (6,070 ft). Notably, there are very few airstrips on the islands, existing only on islands with weather stations. The 1,232 km (766 mi) of coastline lacks ports or harbors, offering only offshore anchorages.

The islands in the Indian Ocean receive supplies via the special ship Marion Dufresne, which sails out of Le Port in Réunion Island. Terre Adélie, the Antarctic sector claimed by France, is supplied by L’Astrolabe, which sails out of Hobart in Tasmania.

Regarding maritime activity, the territory maintains a merchant marine fleet totaling (as of 1999) 2,892,911 GRT/5,165,713 tonnes deadweight (DWT). This fleet includes seven bulk carriers, five cargo ships, ten chemical tankers, nine container ships, six liquefied gas carriers, 24 petroleum tankers, one refrigerated cargo ship, and ten roll-on/roll-off (RORO) carriers. Notably, this fleet operates under the French register, allowing French-owned ships to benefit from more liberal taxation and manning regulations than those permissible under the main French register. However, this register is expected to be replaced by the International French Register (Registre International Français, RIF) in the future.

Volcan du Diable on Grande Terre, Kerguelen

## Sovereignty dispute

[edit]

Mauritius, Madagascar, and the Comoros dispute France's sovereignty over these islands. Mauritius claims Tromelin Island and states that the island, discovered by France in 1722, was not ceded by the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Madagascar claims sovereignty over the Glorioso Islands (including Banc du Geyser), though the island group was never a part of the Malagasy Protectorate, having been a part of the Colony of Mayotte and dependencies, then a part of the French Comoros that had become a separately administered colony from Madagascar in 1946. The Comoros also claims the Glorioso Islands (including Banc du Geyser), as a part of the disputed French region of Mayotte. Furthermore, Madagascar has also claimed Bassas da India, Europa Island, and Juan de Nova Island since 1972,[22] and a 1979 United Nations resolution (without binding force) demanded the cession of these islands to Madagascar.[23][24] Seychelles claimed a part of the Scattered Islands too before the signing of the France–Seychelles Maritime Boundary Agreement.[citation needed] A negotiation session between France and Madagascar took place in November 2020.[25] In April 2025, France and Madagascar announced that they would meet in June 2025 to find a peaceful solution to the dispute.[26] President Emmanuel Macron favors a form of co-management with Madagascar, rather than restitution.[27] On June 20, 2025, Malagasy Foreign Minister Rasata Rafaravavitafika chaired a meeting of the scientific committee devoted to Madagascar's claim to the Scattered Islands. The objective of this meeting was to develop arguments for preserving Madagascar's sovereignty over the Scattered Islands, while moving forward in discussions with France.[28] On June 24, 2025, the Malagasy platform "Sehatry ny Raiamandreny" (Sera) affirmed the indefatigability of Madagascar's claim to the territories of the Scattered Islands.[29] The second commission, between France and Madagascar, will meet on June 30, 2025, for bilateral discussions on congestion, or the restitution of the Scattered Islands to Madagascar.[30] On June 26, 2025, France published the lists of negotiators at the meeting of June 30, 2025, between Madagascar and France.[31]

## Flora and fauna

[edit]

See also: List of mammals of French Southern Territories

Designations

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Official name| French Austral Lands and Seas
Criteria| Natural: (vii), (ix), (x)
Designated| 2019 (43rd session)
Reference no.| 1603
Region| Western Europe

Ramsar Wetland

Official name| Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Francaises
Designated| 15 September 2008
Reference no.| 1837[32]

Due to their isolation, the French islands in the southern Indian Ocean comprise one of the last remaining large wilderness areas on Earth.[33] Furthermore, the islands are positioned along the Antarctic Convergence, where upwelling creates nutrient-rich waters.[34] As a result, birds and marine mammals gather on the islands in great abundance. More than 50 million birds of 47 species breed on the islands, including more than half the breeding population of 16 different species.[33] The largest populations of king penguins and the endangered Indian yellow-nosed albatross on Earth are found on the Crozet Islands and Amsterdam Island, respectively.[34] Other threatened bird species with important populations on the islands include Eaton's pintail, MacGillivray's prion, and the Amsterdam albatross, which is one of four bird species endemic to the island group.[34] The French Southern Lands also hold the second largest population of southern elephant seals on Earth, numbering roughly 200,000, and the third largest population of the Antarctic fur seal.

Because of their isolation and subpolar location, the French Southern Lands are relatively depauperate of vegetation, with both Saint-Paul and Crozet having no native tree or shrub species.[35] However, eight of the 36 higher plant species are endemic.[36] Some species of endemic invertebrates have also been recorded on the islands, including moths and flies which have lost their wings in the absence of predators.[34]

## Economy

[edit]

The territory's natural resources are limited to fish and crustaceans. Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.[37]

The main fish resources are Patagonian toothfish and spiny lobster. Both are poached by foreign fleets; because of this, the French Navy, and occasionally other services, patrol the zone and arrest poaching vessels.[38][39] Such arrests can result in heavy fines or the seizure of the ship.

France previously sold licenses to foreign fisheries to fish the Patagonian toothfish; because of overfishing, it is now restricted to a small number of fisheries from Réunion Island.[40]

The territory takes in revenues of about €16 million a year.

## Locations and scientific stations

[edit]

While the territory lacks a permanent civilian population, there are several inhabited research stations. Île Amsterdam has a meteorological station.[41] Îles Crozet contains the Alfred Faure research station with a population of about 20-30 people. One of the most populous research stations in the Îles Kerguelen, Port-aux-Francais, contains 50-100 researchers. The Îles Éparses contains a French military garrison and is a spot for meteorology. The Dumont d’Urville station is a vital area for studying wildlife, the atmosphere and the ice caps.

### Adélie Land

[edit]

Name  | Location  | Status

|
|

Charcot Station [fr] |  | Uninhabited
Dumont d'Urville Station | Petrel Island (Antarctica) | Inhabited
Port Martin | Cape Margerie | Uninhabited
Robert Guillard Station  |  | Inhabited

### Crozet Islands

[edit]

View of Alfred Faure Name  | Location  | Status

|
|

Alfred Faure | Île de la Possession | Inhabited

### Kerguelen Islands

[edit]

View of Port-aux-Français Name  | Location  | Status

|
|

Port-aux-Français | Gulf of Morbihan | Inhabited
Port-Christmas | Loranchet Peninsula | Uninhabited

### Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands

[edit]

Name  | Location  | Status

|
|

Martin-de-Viviès [fr] | Amsterdam Island | Inhabited

### Scattered Islands

[edit]

There are no permanent settlements on the islands, however the French Armed Forces maintain small troop contingents on some of the islands.[42] There are also weather stations on all the islands apart from Bassas da India.

## Codes

[edit]

The French Southern Territories (i.e. the TAAF excluding Adélie Land) have been given the following country codes: FS (FIPS) and TF (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2).

## See also

[edit]

* Geography portal
* Africa portal
* France portal

* Administrative divisions of France
*   * French colonial empire
* French Fifth Republic
*   * La Réunion, an island off the coast of Madagascar
* List of French islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans
* List of French possessions and colonies
* Outline of France
* Overseas departments and regions of France
* Overseas France

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Government of the French Republic (6 August 1955). "Loi n° 55-1052 du 6 août 1955 conférant l'autonomie administrative et financière aux Terres australes et antarctiques françaises". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 October 2019.
2. ^ French Southern and Antarctic Lands in Geonames.org (cc-by)
3. ^ "Nomination de Madame Amélie Puccinelli en Tant Que Secrétaire Générale des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises".
4. ^ TAAF Collectivity. "Présentation des territoires". taaf.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 October 2019.
5. ^ a b "Antarctica :: French Southern and Antarctic Lands". CIA.gov/Library/Publications/The-World-Factbook. CIA. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
6. ^ "List of countries, territories and currencies". Interinstitutional style guide. Publications Office. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2008.
7. ^ "French Southern Territories". ISO.org. ISO. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
8. ^ "The TAAF do not have any permanent population." "The French Southern and Antarctic Lands". French Southern and Antarctic Lands administration. Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
9. ^ a b "Five sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List". UNESCO. 5 July 2019.
10. ^ a b "Early History of Amsterdam and St Paul Islands, South Indian Ocean". 23 October 2012. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
11. ^ Mills, William J. (2003). Exploring polar frontiers: a historical encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California Denver, Colorado , Oxford, England: ABC Clio. ISBN 978-1-57607-422-0.
12. ^ Dunmore, John (2007). From Venus to Antarctica: the life of Dumont D'Urville. Auckland: Exisle Publ. ISBN 978-0-908988-71-6.
13. ^ "French Southern and Antarctic Lands - 2022 World Factbook Archive". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
14. ^ Martin-Nielsen, Janet (2023). A Few Acres of Ice: Environment, Sovereignty, and "Grandeur" in the French Antarctic. Cornell University Press. p. 102\. doi:10.1353/book.109911. ISBN 9781501772122.
15. ^ "Les confettis de l'empire colonial français qui irritent Madagascar". 22 October 2019.
16. ^ "Dérisoires sentinelles sur la route des super-pétroliers". 6 June 2025.
17. ^ Government of the French Republic (16 September 2020). "Décret du 16 septembre 2020 portant nomination du préfet, administrateur supérieur des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises - M. GIUSTI (Charles)". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 August 2021.
18. ^ "Florence Jeanblanc-Risler nouvelle préfète des Taaf". Le Marin (in French). 6 October 2022.
19. ^ French Navy receives icebreaker and patrol vessel L'Astrolabe. Naval Today, 13 July 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
20. ^ "Le Champlain : un soutien logistique pour les îles Éparses" (in French). Ministère des Armées. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
21. ^ "Les îles Éparses". Archived from the original on 2 May 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
22. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). africa-union.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2009.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
23. ^ "United Nations Resolution 34/91" [Question of the Islands of Gloriesus, Juan de Nova, Europa and Bassas da India]. United Nations. 12 December 1979. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
24. ^ "United Nations Resolution 35/123" [Question of the Islands of Gloriesus, Juan de Nova, Europa and Bassas da India]. United Nations. 11 December 1980. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
25. ^ "Îles Éparses, colonisation, contrats… Le programme d'Emmanuel Macron à Madagascar" [Madagascar: l'impatience monte sur la question de la restitution des Îles Eparses]. Radio France International. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
26. ^ "Îles Éparses, colonisation, contrats… Le programme d'Emmanuel Macron à Madagascar" [Scattered Islands, colonization, contracts… Emmanuel Macron’s program in Madagascar]. Ouest-France. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
27. ^ "Madagascar: gouvernement et opposition réagissent au refus de la France de restituer les Îles Éparses" [Madagascar: Government and opposition react to France's refusal to return the Scattered Islands]. Radio France International. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
28. ^ "Îles Éparses : Madagascar prépare la deuxième Commission mixte franco-malagasy" [Scattered Islands: Madagascar prepares the second Franco-Malagasy Joint Commission]. Madagascar Tribune. 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
29. ^ "Le sera evoque une souverainete non negociable sur les iles eparses". actu.orange.mg. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
30. ^ "Who will lead the Scattered Islands mixed commission?". Africa Intelligence. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
31. ^ "Madagascar Îles Éparses : Paris met la touche finale à la liste de ses négociateurs" [Madagascar Scattered Islands: Paris finalizes its list of negotiators]. Africa Intelligence. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
32. ^ "Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Francaises". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
33. ^ a b "French Austral Lands and Seas". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
34. ^ a b c d French Austral Lands and Seas (Report). IUCN. April 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
35. ^ Larrue, Sébastien; Chadeyron, Julien; Faucon, Frédéric (19 January 2018). "Quelles origines à l'asylvatisme des îles volcaniques australes Crozet et Saint-Paul (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises, océan Indien) ?". Cybergeo. doi:10.4000/cybergeo.28917.
36. ^ Timaná, Martín E.; Lebouvier, Marc; Rouhan, Germinal (11 February 2019). "Sagina hookeri Timaná, sp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae), a new endemic species for the flora of Île Amsterdam (French Southern and Antarctic Lands)". Adansonia. 41 (1): 17. Bibcode:2019Adan...41...17T. doi:10.5252/adansonia2019v41a2. S2CID 91871485.
37. ^ "Saint Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners". OEC. Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
38. ^ "L'Astrolabe". Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (in French). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
39. ^ "Lutte contre la pêche illicite". Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (in French). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
40. ^ "Protéger: des îles sentinelles La gestion de la pêche dans les Terres australes françaises" (PDF). taaf.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 April 2024.
41. ^ "Stations". EPB. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
42. ^ "Le Champlain : un soutien logistique pour les îles Éparses" (in French). Ministère des Armées. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

* Official website
* Wikimedia Atlas of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
* French Southern and Antarctic Lands – official French website (in English)
* French Southern and Antarctic Lands. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
* Southern & Antarctic Territories
* Crozet Archipelago
* Kerguelen Archipelago
* Terre Adélie

Articles related to French Southern and Antarctic Lands

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Peri-Antarctic countries and overseas territories

* Argentina
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* Macquarie Island
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* Amsterdam Island
* Crozet Islands
* Kerguelen Islands
* Saint Paul Island
* New Zealand
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"Peri-Antarctic" (meaning "close to the Antarctic") does not include territorial claims in Antarctica itself.

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Overseas France

Inhabited territories

| Overseas regions1|

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|

Overseas collectivities|

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Sui generis collectivity|

* New Caledonia

Uninhabited territories

| North Pacific Ocean|

* Clipperton Island

|

Overseas territory (French Southern and Antarctic Lands)|

* Adélie Land
* Crozet Islands
* French domains of Saint Helena
* French national domain in the Holy Land
* Kerguelen Islands
* Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands

Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean|

* Bassas da India3
* Europa Island3
* Glorioso Islands2, 3
* Banc du Geyser
* Juan de Nova Island3
* Tromelin Island4

* 1 Also known as overseas departments
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Dependencies of European Union states

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France|

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Denmark|

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France|

* Clipperton Island
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* French Southern and Antarctic Lands
* Adélie Land
* Crozet Islands
* Kerguelen Islands
* Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands
* Amsterdam Island
* Saint Paul Island
* Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean
* Bassas da India
* Europa Island
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Claims|

* Adélie Land (Fr.)
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* Peter I Island (Nor.)
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* Ross Dependency (N.Z.)

Former claims|

* New Swabia (Ger.)
* Yamato Yukihara (Jap.)

Unclaimed|

* Marie Byrd Land

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* Democratic Republic of the Congo
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* Djibouti
* Egypt (partly in Asia)
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* The Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with limited
recognition

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (unclear sovereignty)
* Somaliland

Dependent
territories

| France|

* Îles Éparses

|

United Kingdom|

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

African territories
fully part of
non-African states|

| France|

* Mayotte
* Réunion

|

Italy|

* Pantelleria
* Pelagie Islands

Portugal|

* Madeira
* Savage Islands

Spain|

* Canary Islands
* Ceuta
* Melilla
* Plazas de soberanía

Yemen|

* Socotra

* Category
* Africa portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Norway
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Academics|

* CiNii

Artists|

* KulturNav

People|

* UK Parliament

Other|

* IdRef
* Yale LUX

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