CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(1 fields)
Communications - note
1 meteorological station
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
Economy - overview
Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
Area
total: 4.4 sq km land: 4.4 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
tropical
Coastline
24.1 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
17 03 S, 42 45 E
Geography - note
wildlife sanctuary
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)
Location
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
periodic cyclones
Natural resources
guano deposits and other fertilizers
Terrain
low and flat
◆ GOVERNMENT(6 fields)
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
Dependency status
possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (possession of France)
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Legal system
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.
◆ MILITARY(1 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
claimed by Madagascar
◆ TRANSPORTATION(3 fields)
Airports
1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors
none; offshore anchorage only