French Southern and Antarctic Lands or in French Terres australes et antarctiques françaises are mostly an group of mostly uninhabited islands and an slice of Antarctica which claim is not recognize due the Antarctic treaty. The islands can be found in the southern part of the Indian Ocean and some around the island of Madagascar. From now i use the acronym TAAF for this French overseas territory. It's consist of 5 districts.
1: Kerguelen Islands are approximately equidistant between Africa, Australia and Antarctica in the southern Indian Ocean. It's also known as the Desolation Islands because it's one of the most isolated places in the world. The islands are the summits of an sunken mini-continent and they found petrified forest there of more than 90 million years old. (45 inhabitants)
2: St. Paul and Amsterdam can be found north of the Kerguelen Islands, two volcanic islands. St. Paul is an heaven for birds and there is no permanent population but there is an research cabin. Amsterdam have an village named Martin-de-Viviès with no permanent inhabitants, only researchers and scientist are active here. (20 inhabitants)
3: Crozet Islands can be found in between Madagascar and Antarctica, it's an sub-antarctic archipelago. The archipelago is of volcanic origin and formed by an hot-spot, it's has continued forming islands to the west over 9 million years. Also no permanent inhabitants so there are only researchers and scientist. (15 inhabitants).
4: Scattered Islands or in French Îles Éparses can be found around Madagascar and are five islands. Used as meteorological stations to predict cyclones and also used as nature reserves. Mauritius, the Comoros and Madagascar are in dispute over the sovereignty because it's close to them. (inhabitants 56).
5: Adélie Land is the slice of the Antarctic pie and an non-recognize claim, like the one's from Argentina, Chile, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. Jules Dumont d'Urville discovered the area and named it after his wife, also the researchstation is named after Jules. (inhabitants 80).
TAAF covers an lot of area mostly ocean and snow with no permanent population. So let's take an look at the flag.
1: Kerguelen Islands are approximately equidistant between Africa, Australia and Antarctica in the southern Indian Ocean. It's also known as the Desolation Islands because it's one of the most isolated places in the world. The islands are the summits of an sunken mini-continent and they found petrified forest there of more than 90 million years old. (45 inhabitants)
2: St. Paul and Amsterdam can be found north of the Kerguelen Islands, two volcanic islands. St. Paul is an heaven for birds and there is no permanent population but there is an research cabin. Amsterdam have an village named Martin-de-Viviès with no permanent inhabitants, only researchers and scientist are active here. (20 inhabitants)
3: Crozet Islands can be found in between Madagascar and Antarctica, it's an sub-antarctic archipelago. The archipelago is of volcanic origin and formed by an hot-spot, it's has continued forming islands to the west over 9 million years. Also no permanent inhabitants so there are only researchers and scientist. (15 inhabitants).
4: Scattered Islands or in French Îles Éparses can be found around Madagascar and are five islands. Used as meteorological stations to predict cyclones and also used as nature reserves. Mauritius, the Comoros and Madagascar are in dispute over the sovereignty because it's close to them. (inhabitants 56).
5: Adélie Land is the slice of the Antarctic pie and an non-recognize claim, like the one's from Argentina, Chile, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. Jules Dumont d'Urville discovered the area and named it after his wife, also the researchstation is named after Jules. (inhabitants 80).
TAAF covers an lot of area mostly ocean and snow with no permanent population. So let's take an look at the flag.
The flag has in the upper left the French tri-colour because it's part of France. It's has an blue background with white stars and interlaced letters. The stars are represented the 5 districts of the TAAF. The letters are the TAAF acronym and for one time the complete name in French Terres australes et antarctiques françaises. The blue has no meaning but you can see it as the ocean. Looks like an military flag to me in an French way.
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