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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. |
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Location:
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Southern Africa,
island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way
between Madagascar and Mozambique |
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 03 S, 42 45 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 4.4
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4.4 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about seven times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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24.1 km |
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Climate:
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tropical |
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Terrain:
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low and flat |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m |
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Natural resources:
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guano deposits
and other fertilizers |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (90% forest) (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic cyclones |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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wildlife
sanctuary |
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Population:
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no indigenous
inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along
with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists
(July 2004 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
local long form: none |
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Dependency status:
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possession of
France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic,
resident in Reunion |
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Legal system:
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the laws of
France, where applicable, apply |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (possession
of France) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (possession
of France) |
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Economy - overview:
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Up to 12,000 tons
of guano are mined per year. |
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Communications - note:
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1 meteorological
station |
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Railways:
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total: NA
km; short line going to a jetty |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; offshore
anchorage only |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of France |
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Disputes - international:
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claimed by
Madagascar |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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