Background The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

NOTE: The information regarding French Southern and Antarctic Lands on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of French Southern and Antarctic Lands Introduction 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about French Southern and Antarctic Lands Introduction 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.