From Wikisource
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Juan de Nova Island |
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| Introduction |
Juan de Nova Island |
| 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 |
Juan de Nova Island |
| 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: |
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) (2001) |
| Irrigated land: |
0 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: |
periodic cyclones |
| Environment - current issues: |
NA |
| Geography - note: |
wildlife sanctuary |
| People |
Juan de Nova Island |
| 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 |
Juan de Nova Island |
| 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 |
Juan de Nova Island |
| Economy - overview: |
Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year. |
| Communications |
Juan de Nova Island |
| Communications - note: |
1 meteorological station |
| Transportation |
Juan de Nova Island |
| Ports and harbors: |
none; offshore anchorage only |
| Airports: |
1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military |
Juan de Nova Island |
| Military - note: |
defense is the responsibility of France |
This page was last updated on 1 January 2003
This is a snapshot of the CIA World Fact Book as it existed on 26 March 2005
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