The
Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean ( or
Îles éparses de l'océan indien) consist of four small coral islands, an
atoll, and a
reef in the
Indian Ocean, and have constituted the 5th district of the
French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) since February 2007. They have no permanent population. Three of the islands — the
Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova and
Europa — and the
Bassas da India atoll lie in the
Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while the fourth island,
Tromelin, lies about east of Madagascar. Also in the Mozambique Channel is the
Banc du Geyser, a reef which was annexed by Madagascar in 1976. France continues to view the Banc du Geyser as part of the Îles Éparses.
The islands have been classified as
nature reserves. Except for Bassas da India, they all support
meteorological station: those on the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova and Europa Island are automated. The station on Tromelin Island, in particular, provides warning of
cyclones threatening
Madagascar,
Réunion or
Mauritius. Each of the islands, except Bassas da India and Banc du Geyser, has an airstrip of more than . Mauritius, the
Comoros,
Seychelles, and Madagascar dispute France's sovereignty over the islands. Mauritius claims Tromelin; the Comoros and Seychelles claim the Glorioso Islands; the Comoros and Madagascar claim Banc du Geyser; and Madagascar...
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