Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries:
none

Coastline:
Bassas da India: 35.2 km
Europa Island: 22.2 km
Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km
Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km
Tromelin Island: 3.7 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note - Juan de Nova Island and
Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the
depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and
sandy
Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso
Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all
unnamed locations)

Natural resources:
Bassas da India and Europa Island: none
Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts
Tromelin Island: fish

Land use:
Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island -
100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands - 100% lush
vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island - 90% forest, 10%
other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and scattered brush

Natural hazards:
all islands subject to periodic cyclones
Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a
period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and
surrounded by reefs

Geography - note:
Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a
long-extinct, submerged volcano
Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for
seabirds and sea turtles
Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
extensive reef system
Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting
cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds,
tortoises)

People Iles Eparses

Population:
Bassas da India: uninhabitable
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French
military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession;
visited by scientists
Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists

Government Iles Eparses

Country name:
co