Juan de Nova Island Facts

Facts & Information For Juan de Nova Island

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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.

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 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 4.4 sq km
Area - comparative:	about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	24.1 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):	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) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:	periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues:	NA
Geography - note:	wildlife sanctuary

People

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government

Country name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local short form: Ile Juan de Nova local long form: none
Dependency status:	possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system:	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US:	none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:	none (possession of France)
Flag description:	the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy - overview:

Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Communications

Communications - note:

1 meteorological station

Transportation

Railways:	total: NA km; short line going to a jetty
Waterways:	none
Ports and harbors:	none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:	1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Military

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:

claimed by Madagascar

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