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French Southern Territories

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Photo: Avaugour Francis / Wikimedia Commons (resized) Image licenceCC0Photograph by Avaugour Francis / Wikimedia Commons (resized). Display crop may differ from the original.

AT A GLANCE

French Southern Territories in facts

  • CapitalPort-aux-Français
  • Population140http
  • Area7,829 km²Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, D.C. | | Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. | | Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, D.C. | | Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware | | Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. | | Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C. | | Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. | | Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. | | Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C
  • CurrencyEuro
Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Open in the world map
All geographic & statistical details (23)
Density
0 people per km²
Official name
Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Local name
Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises
World region
Africa · Sub-Saharan Africa · Eastern Africa
Official language
French
People are called
French
Founded
1955
Time zones
UTC+04:00, UTC+05:00, UTC+10:00
Drives on the
right
Land borders
None
Coastline
28 km
Administrative subdivisions
5 first-order regions
Topographic elevation profile
Mont Ross 1,850 m
0 mIndian Ocean▲ 1,850 mSummit
Railways & airports
4 airports
Climate
Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity | | Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy | | Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy | | Iles Eparses: tropical
Terrain
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau | | Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs | | Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands | | Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts | | Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon | | Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy | | Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Natural resources
fish, crayfish, note, Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates
+ 1 moreShow lessand coconuts
Internet domain
.tf
ISO & UN codes
TF · ATF · M49 260
Official website
taaf.fr (opens in a new tab)
Name origin
Self-descriptive name specifying the territories' affiliation and location in the Southern Hemisphere
Names in other languages
Terre Australi e Antartiche Francesi, أراض فرنسية جنوبية وأنتارتيكية, Französische Süd- und Antarktisgebiete, Tierras Australes y Antárticas Francesas, سرزمینهای جنوبی و جنوبگانی فرانسه, Terres australes et antarctiques françaises
+ 19 moreShow lessફ્રેન્ચ સધર્ન એન્ડ એન્ટાર્કટિક લેન્ડ્સ, दक्षिण फ्रांसीसी और अंटार्कटिक लैंड, Daratan Selatan dan Antarktika Perancis, フランス領南方・南極地域, ಫ್ರೆಂಚ್ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಮತ್ತು ಅಂಟಾರ್ಕ್ಟಿಕ್ ಭೂಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳು, 프랑스령 남방 및 남극 지역, फ्रान्सचे दक्षिणी व अंटार्क्टिक भूभाग, Franse Zuidelijke Gebieden, Francuskie Terytoria Południowe i Antarktyczne, Terras Austrais e Antárticas Francesas, Французские Южные и Антарктические территории, பிரெஞ்சு தென்னக நிலங்களும் அண்டார்க்டிக் நிலமும், ఫ్రెంచ్ సదరన్ మరియు అంటార్కిటిక్ లాండ్స్, เฟรนช์เซาเทิร์นและแอนตาร์กติกแลนดส์, Fransız Güney ve Antarktika Toprakları, Французькі Південні і Антарктичні території, سرزمین جنوبی فرانسیسیہ و انٹارکٹیکا, Vùng đất phía Nam và châu Nam Cực thuộc Pháp, 法属南部和南极领地
Capital location
49.4°S, 70.2°E

Facts: Wikidata Q129003 and the CIA World Factbook (public domain: geography, demographics, borders, coastline and symbols), retrieved 1 November 2026. Figures can change; check the source for the latest.

FLAG & SYMBOLS

The flag and symbols of French Southern Territories

The flag

The flag of France is used.

Coat of arms
Coat of arms or emblem of French Southern Territories

Image: Superbenjamin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

National anthem

"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle

Flag description and meaning, colours, symbols, anthem details, national day and independence: CIA World Factbook (public domain). Coat of arms, motto and recording: Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (credited above). Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), retrieved 1 November 2026.

There is more to explore.Discover the regions of French Southern TerritoriesExplore regions
ON THE ATLAS · CHRONICLE IN PREPARATION

Discover French Southern Territories

This is a sourced directory entry. A researched regional chronicle and verified location photography are in preparation.

Overseas territory

French overseas association: France. Status & relationship source ↗

A CLOSER LOOK

Explore the regions

5 entries

Explore the first-order regions in this GeoNames snapshot. Local names and levels vary.

Names and immediate parent assignments: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0, 28 October 2026. Unspecified code 00 excluded. This is not an exhaustive list of districts, counties or municipalities. Photographs are credited individually beneath each image; one pictured place does not represent every landscape in its region.

FROM THE JOURNAL

Stories from French Southern Territories

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Directory: UN M49 countries or areas, with 193 UN members, 2 observers and 53 other areas. Subdivisions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0; filtered to this catalogue. Flags/symbols: flag-icons (MIT). Snapshot: 28 October 2026. Geographic groups are statistical. Associated-country links describe the cited relationship and do not settle sovereignty claims.

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