FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS                                             
(overseas territory of France)                                                  
GEOGRAPHY                                                                       
Total area: 7,781 km2; land area: 7,781 km2; includes Ile                       
Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Crozet;                     
excludes Terre Adelie claim of about 500,000 km2 in Antarctica                  
that is not recognized by the US                                                
                                                                                
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware             
                                                                                
Land boundaries: none                                                           
                                                                                
Coastline: 1,232 km                                                             
                                                                                
Maritime claims:                                                                
                                                                                
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (Iles Kerguelen only);                          
                                                                                
Territorial sea: 12 nm                                                          
                                                                                
Disputes: Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica is not recognized by                 
the US                                                                          
                                                                                
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%                                          
                                                                                
Environment: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct                       
volcanoes                                                                       
                                                                                
Note: located in the southern Indian Ocean about equidistant                    
between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia                                       
                                                                                
PEOPLE                                                                          
Population: summer (January 1991)--180, winter (July 1991)--150,                
growth rate 0.0% (1991);                                                        
note--mostly researchers                                                        
                                                                                
GOVERNMENT                                                                      
Long-form name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic                  
Lands                                                                           
                                                                                
Type: overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High                 
Administrator Bernard de GOUTTES (since NA May 1990), who is                    
assisted by a 7-member Consultative Council and a 12-member Scientific          
Council                                                                         
                                                                                
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                            
                                                                                
Flag: 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: $33.6 million (1990)                                                    
                                                                                
COMMUNICATIONS                                                                  
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only                                            
                                                                                
Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling                          
220,392 GRT/350,131 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo,                
2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,       
2 liquefied gas, 2 bulk; note--a captive subset of the French register          
                                                                                
Telecommunications: NA                                                          
                                                                                
DEFENSE FORCES                                                                  
Branches: French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force)                       
                                                                                
Note: defense is the responsibility of France                                   
                                                                                
