France
French Austral Lands and Seas
The French Austral Lands and Seas is a group of extremely isolated volcanic islands in the sub-Antarctic region.
As one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, it covers the Crozet Archipelago, Kerguelen Islands, Amsterdam and St Paul Islands, and surrounding parts of the Southern Ocean. This true wilderness is known for its marine birds (especially the world’s largest colony of King Penguins) and mammals such as Elephant Seals and Commerson’s Dolphins.
Community Perspective: This site has been unreviewed so far.
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Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- French Austral Lands and Seas (ID: 1603)
- Country
- France
- Status
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Inscribed 2019
Site history
History of French Austral Lands and Seas
- WHS Type
- Natural
- Criteria
- vii
- ix
- x
Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- taaf.fr — Terres australes et antarctiques française
News Article
- Feb. 16, 2025 rfi.fr — Wildfire on remote French Amsterdam island threatens wildlife and climate research station
Community Information
- Community Category
- Wildlife habitat: Fauna
- Natural landscape: Marine and Coastal
- Cultural Landscape: Continuing
Travel Information
One thousand visitors or fewer
“Less than 350 people visit the islands annually” (AB ev)
Takes more than 5 days to visit
Starting from Reunion, it takes 28 days round-trip
See www.taaf.fr
Recent Connections
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Megaherbs
Crozet, Kerguelen Islands: Megaherbs (K… -
Located in a TCC Territory
Kerguelen is part of French Antarctica … -
Subantarctic
Kerguelen Islands: 49°15′S 69°35′E
Connections of French Austral Lands and Seas
- Individual People
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Captain James Cook
Kerguelen Islands, in December 1776 during his third voyage (wiki)
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- Geography
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Largest area
672.979 square km -
Dependent territories
It is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, an overseas territory -
Submerged continent
Kerguelen Plateau -
Uninhabited islands
All islands are uninhabited, except for 3 small scientific/military bases -
Subantarctic
Kerguelen Islands: 49°15′S 69°35′E -
Territorial Highest points
French Southern and Antarctic Lands: Mont Ross (1850 m) -
Glaciers
Glacier Cook -
Archipelagos
Crozet Archipelago -
Indian Ocean
The islands lie in the Southern Indian Ocean -
Marine sites
66,530,100 ha M, 766,900 ha T -
Southernmost
No. 5, at -49.25
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- Trivia
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Furthest distance apart
2348km between Crozet Archipelago and Amsterdam and St Paul Islands
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- Ecology
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Megaherbs
Crozet, Kerguelen Islands: Megaherbs (Kerguelen cabbage) -
Albatross breeding sites
"Eight species of albatross, of which six are considered globally threatened,... breed in the nominated property", including the Amsterdam Albatross -
Antarctic Floristic Kingdom
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Endemic Bird Species
At least four species of birds are endemic, plus three other species endemic at a regional level. They include Eaton’s Pintail, MacGillivray's Prion and the Amsterdam Albatross. -
Penguins
King penguin, Northern rockhopper penguin, macaroni penguin -
Volcanic Hotspots
Kerguelen hotspotSee en.wikipedia.org
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Whales
Killer whales, sperm whales -
Tundra
"The Kerguelen Islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra ecoregion" (wiki) -
Natural Arches and Bridges
Arche des Kerguelen -
Seals
the second largest colony of Southern Elephant Seals and the third largest colony of sub-Antarctic Fur Seals in the world (OUV) -
Stratovolcanoes
Mont Ross
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- World Heritage Process
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Minor modifications after inscription
2023: enlargement of all three component parts, intended to align the boundaries of the property with the new, extended boundaries of the Nature Reserve. The areas consist solely of marine areas. The extension adds 98,970,200 ha to the property resulting in a total area of 166,267,100 ha.
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- Human Activity
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Sea Ports
Port-aux-Français
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- Constructions
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Cemeteries
Île du Cimetière
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- WHS on Other Lists
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Alliance for Zero Extinction
"the nominated property comprises one Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site" (AB ev) -
Located in a TCC Territory
Kerguelen is part of French Antarctica (Adélie, Kerguelen)
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- Timeline
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Miocene
Miocene epoch is suggested for the common ancestry of the present−day genera of penguins
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- Science and Technology
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Astronomy and Astrology
Anse Betsy (Betsy Cove) is a former geomagnetic station on Baie Accessible (Accessible Bay), on the north coast of the Courbet Peninsula (La Grande Terre, Kerguelen). On this site an astronomical and geomagnetic observatory was erected on 26 October 1874 by a German research expedition led by Georg Gustav Freiherr von Schleinitz. The primary goal of this station was the 1874 observation of the transit of Venus. (wiki)
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- Visiting conditions
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One thousand visitors or fewer
“Less than 350 people visit the islands annually” (AB ev) -
Takes more than 5 days to visit
Starting from Reunion, it takes 28 days round-tripSee www.taaf.fr
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Visitor Limits
"A maximum of 50 tourists land on the islands for just a few days" (AB, unclear if that's an official limitation or a practical)
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News
- rfi.fr 02/16/2025
- Wildfire on remote French Amsterda…
Recent Visitors
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