French Southern and Antarctic Territories

Overview

The French Southern and Antarctic Territories include the Kerguelen Islands, the Crozet Islands, St. Paul Island, Amsterdam Island and Adélie. Some of the French territories are disputed in relation to the terms of the Antarctic Treaty. There is barely any vegetation but royal penguins and sea elephants can be seen. Traveling to the world's largest exclusive economic zone is far from simple in itself. One method is to fly to Reunion Island and board the Marion Dufresne. That Visitors will be greeted by barren landscapes is probably an understatement and the research stations only have a handful of occupants. Only the hardiest make the trip and few do so for non-scientific or exploratory reasons.

History

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.