French Southern and Antarctic Lands
 

Adopted 21 Nov 1924                   Oct 1956 - 23 Feb 2007           Flag of Administrator-Superior                   Adopted 23 Feb 2007     Map of French Antarctica (Terre Adelie Land)  Map of Iles Crozet, Kerguelen Island, St. Paul and Amsterdam  Hear National Anthem "La Marseillaise"  Constitution  (28 Sep 1958) Capital: Port-aux-Français Administrative Seat: Saint-Denis, Reunion (Paris, France 1955- 27 Feb 1997) Chief Station: Dumont d'Urville Currency: Euro (EUR); to 1 Jan 2002 French Franc (FRF) National Holiday: 14 Jul (1789) Bastille Day Population: no indigenous inhabitants Iles Kerguelen 50-100; Iles Crozet 18-30; Seasonal Research Staff Summer (Jan): 45 Winter (Jul): 26 (2007-2008) Total Active Armed Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of the France Merchant marine: 77 ships (2006) Number of Yr.-round Stations: 2 Summer-only Stations: 0 (2008) GDP: N/A International Organizations/Treaties: UPU French Southern and Antarctic Lands Index Chronology 18 Mar 1522                Amsterdam Island discovered by Spanish Capt.                              Juan Sebastián Elcano. 18 Jun 1633                Anthonie van Diemen re-discovers Amsterdam Island,                              which he names Nieuw Amsterdam Eiland. 19 Apr 1618                Saint-Paul Island discovered by Dutch Capt. Haevik                              Klaaszoon van Hillegom, named Zeewolf Eiland. 24 Jan 1772                Crozet Islands discovered and claimed for France                              by Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne. 12 Feb 1772                Kerguelen Islands claimed for France by Yves-Joseph                              de Kerguelen-Trémarec, named La France Australe. 28 Mar 1792                Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands claimed for                              France by Joseph-Antoine Bruni d'Estrecasteaux. 21 Jan 1840                Terre Adélie (Adelie Land) in Antarctica discovered                              and claimed for France by Capt. Jules Sébastien                              César Dumont d'Urville.  8 Jun 1843                Governor of Réunion annexes the Iles Amsterdam and                              Saint-Paul for France (formally from 1 Jul 1843).  1 Jan 1893                French ship L'Eure reaffirms French sovereignty                              over the Iles Kerguelen, Amsterdam et Saint-Paul. 21 Nov 1924                Terre Adélie (Adelie Land) in Antarctica                              officially annexed by France. 21 Nov 1924                Decrees consolidate French claims to Iles                              Crozets, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Amsterdam et                               Saint-Paul and Terre Adélie (under the                              administration of the Governors-general of                              Madagascar as Dépendances de Madagascar).  1 Apr 1938                Terre Adélie boundaries fixed between longitudes                              136° and 142° E south of 60° S. Jan 1939                   France reaffirms sovereignty over Iles Crozets. Dec 1949                   French base established at Port-aux-Français                              on Kerguelen by Pierre Sicaud.  9 Apr 1950 - 23 Jan 1952  Port-Martin the first French Antarctic station. 12 Jan 1956                Dumont d'Urville Antarctic station established.  6 Aug 1955                French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Terres                               Australes et Antarctiques Françaises) an                               overseas territory (detached from Madagascar                               [French Antarctic Terre Adélie, Iles Crozet,                              Iles Kerguelen and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam]) 28 Mar 2003                Category of "overseas territory" removed in French                              constitutional revision; organization of French                              Southern and Antarctic Lands to be determined by                              law; no change in de facto status.  3 Jan 2005                Administratiion of Îles Éparses transferred from                              Reunion to TAAF. 15 Mar 2007                Îles Éparses (Bassas da India, Europa, Glorioso,                              Juan de Nova and Tromelin) incorporated into                              TAAF. Îles Éparses

Administrators-superior
1955 - 1959                Xavier Richert                     (b. 1913 - d. 1992)
1959 - 1972                Pierre Charles Rolland             (b. 1918 - d. 1988)
1973 - 1979                Roger Barberot                     (b. 1915 - d. 2002)
1979 - 1982                Francis Jacquemont                 (b. 1932)
1982 - 1987                Claude Pieri                       (b. 1922 - d. 2002)
25 Mar 1987 - May 1990     Claude Corbier                     (b. 1927)
16 May 1990 -  4 Dec 1991  Bernard de Gouttes                 (b. 1945)
 4 Dec 1991 -  8 Feb 1996  Christian Dors                     (b. 1954)
14 Mar 1996 - 25 Mar 1998  Pierre Lise                        (b. 1937)
25 Mar 1998 - 26 Jan 2000  Brigitte Girardin (f)              (b. 1953)
14 Feb 2000 - 24 May 2000  Jean-Yves Hermoso (interim)
24 May 2000 - 21 Jan 2005  François Garde                     (b. 1959)
21 Jan 2005 - 28 Feb 2007  Michel Champon                     (b. 1952)
28 Feb 2007 - 10 Apr 2007  Alain Mauroy (interim)             (b. 1946)
10 Apr 2007 - Sep 2008     Éric Pilloton                      (b. 1964)
16 Oct 2008 -              Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot             (b. 1959)

Territorial Disputes: French "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica is recognized by Australia, New Zealand, Norway and U.K., but it is not recognized by the United Nations, U.S., Russia or by most other countries; Banc du Geyser claimed by Comoros and Madagascar; Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) claimed by Madagascar; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) claimed by Mauritius.