Juan de Nova Island

§1. Juan de Nova Island Introduction

Background:
  Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the
  island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for
  its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a
  meteorological station.

§2. Juan de Nova Island Geography

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the
  way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 4.4 kmē
  land: 4.4 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  24.1 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources:
  guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (90% forest) (2005)

Irrigated land:
  0 kmē (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  wildlife sanctuary

§3. Juan de Nova Island People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
    meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2006 est.)

§4. Juan de Nova Island Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the
  French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

§5. Juan de Nova Island Economy

Economy - overview:
  Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

§6. Juan de Nova Island Communications

Communications - note:
  1 meteorological station

§7. Juan de Nova Island Transportation

Airports:
  1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  none; offshore anchorage only

§8. Juan de Nova Island Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

§9. Juan de Nova Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claimed by Madagascar


<Factbook 2006>
