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Archipelago

    Indian OceanFrance

    49°15′S 69°09′E

    Kerguelen Islands

    Archipel des Kerguelen (terres)

    The Kerguelen Islands, also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the subantarctic region.

    Baie de l’Aurore Australe
    Baie de l’Aurore Australe

    DocAC / CC BY 2.0

    Chart

    1386 landforms

    Overview

    The Kerguelen Islands, also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the subantarctic region. They are among the most isolated places on Earth, with the closest territory being the Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia roughly 450 kilometres (240 nautical miles) to the southeast, and the nearest permanently inhabited territory being Madagascar more than 3,300 km (1,800 nmi) away. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands, Amsterdam and Saint Paul islands, and France's Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, are part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and are administered as a separate district. The islands constitute one of the two exposed parts of the Kerguelen Plateau (the other being Heard Island and the McDonald islands), a large igneous province mostly submerged in the southern Indian Ocean. The main island, Grande Terre, is 6,675 km2 (2,577 mi2) in area, about three-quarters of the size of Corsica, and is surrounded by a further 300 smaller islands and islets, forming an archipelago of 7,215 km2 (2,786 mi2). The climate is harsh and chilly with frequent high winds throughout the year. The surrounding seas are generally rough and they remain ice-free year-round. There are no indigenous inhabitants, but France maintains a permanent presence of 45 to 100 soldiers, scientists, engineers, and researchers. There are no airports on the islands, so all travel to and from the outside world is by ship.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands1
    • Minor islands130
    • Islets843
    • Rocks & skerries412

    Major islands

    1
    • Grande-Terre

      Grande-Terre

      Area
      6,676 km²
      High point
      1,850 m

      The Kerguelen Islands, also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the subantarctic region.

    Minor islands

    130

    Rocks & skerries

    412

    On the chart above, at its closest zooms.

    Listing 131 of 1386; the rest are on the chart.

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m1,850 mGrande-Terre687 mÎle Foch677 mÎle Gaby609 mÎle de l'Ouest512 mÎle de Croÿ472 mÎle Saint-Lanne Gramont470 mîle du Roland340 mÎle du Port321 mÎle Haute289 mÎle Altazin277 mîle Bethell270 mÎle Longue236 mÎle Howe172 mîle du Château
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.11101001,00010,000Grande-Terre: 6,676 km²Grande-TerreÎle Foch: 209 km²Île FochÎle Saint-Lanne Gramont: 47.2 km²Île Saint-Lanne G…Île du Port: 45.2 km²Île du PortÎle Longue: 34 km²Île LongueÎle de l'Ouest: 32.3 km²Île de l'OuestÎle Howe: 32.2 km²Île HoweÎle Australia: 19.1 km²Île AustraliaÎle de Croÿ: 11.1 km²Île de Croÿîle du Roland: 10 km²île du RolandÎle Gaby: 8.6 km²Île GabyÎle Haute: 8.4 km²Île HauteÎle MacMurdo: 5.9 km²Île MacMurdoîle de Castries: 5.2 km²île de Castriesîle aux Moules: 4.6 km²île aux MoulesÎle Altazin: 4.5 km²Île Altazinîle aux Skuas: 4.2 km²île aux Skuasîle Bethell: 3.9 km²île BethellÎle Marron: 3.9 km²Île Marronîle Violette: 3.7 km²île VioletteÎle Léon Lefèvre: 3.5 km²Île Léon Lefèvreîle Blakeney: 3.3 km²île BlakeneyÎle du Cimetière: 3.2 km²Île du Cimetièreîle Mayes: 2.9 km²île MayesÎle Inskip: 2.7 km²Île InskipÎle sud du Prince-de-Monaco: 2.5 km²Île sud du Prince…île du Chat: 2.4 km²île du Chatîle du Château: 2.2 km²île du Châteauîle Bellouard: 2.2 km²île BellouardÎle Penn: 2.1 km²Île Pennîle Heugh: 1.8 km²île HeughÎles du Passage: 1.7 km²Îles du PassageBriand: 1.7 km²Briandîle aux Cochons: 1.7 km²île aux Cochonsîle Verte: 1.5 km²île VerteÎles Normandes: 1.5 km²Îles Normandesîle Dauphine: 1.5 km²île Dauphineîle Sibbald: 1.4 km²île SibbaldUnnamed island: 1.4 km²Unnamed islandÎle Guillou: 1.3 km²Île Guillou
    km², log scale. 2 without a known area.
    Grande-Terre6,676 km²
    Île Foch209 km²
    Île Saint-Lanne Gramont47.2 km²
    Île du Port45.2 km²
    Île Longue34 km²
    Île de l'Ouest32.3 km²
    Île Howe32.2 km²
    Île Australia19.1 km²
    Île de Croÿ11.1 km²
    île du Roland10 km²
    Île Gaby8.6 km²
    Île Haute8.4 km²
    Île MacMurdo5.9 km²
    île de Castries5.2 km²
    île aux Moules4.6 km²
    Île Altazin4.5 km²
    île aux Skuas4.2 km²
    île Bethell3.9 km²
    Île Marron3.9 km²
    île Violette3.7 km²
    Île Léon Lefèvre3.5 km²
    île Blakeney3.3 km²
    Île du Cimetière3.2 km²
    île Mayes2.9 km²
    Île Inskip2.7 km²
    Île sud du Prince-de-Monaco2.5 km²
    île du Chat2.4 km²
    île du Château2.2 km²
    île Bellouard2.2 km²
    Île Penn2.1 km²
    île Heugh1.8 km²
    Îles du Passage1.7 km²
    Briand Island1.7 km²
    île aux Cochons1.7 km²
    île Verte1.5 km²
    Îles Normandes1.5 km²
    île Dauphine1.5 km²
    île Sibbald1.4 km²
    Unnamed island1.4 km²
    Île Guillou1.3 km²
    Île Bryer1.2 km²
    île Murray1.2 km²
    Îles Francis1.1 km²
    île Richard-Foy1.1 km²
    Unnamed island1.1 km²
    île de l'Antarès0.99 km²
    Unnamed island0.93 km²
    Île du Canard0.87 km²
    Île Hoskyn0.73 km²
    Île Pender0.72 km²
    Archer Island0.7 km²
    Île Clugny0.66 km²
    Unnamed island0.64 km²
    Île Suhm0.62 km²
    Unnamed island0.62 km²
    île Hull0.6 km²
    Île de la Francès0.58 km²
    Unnamed island0.57 km²
    Stoll Island0.57 km²
    Unnamed island0.57 km²
    Powell Island0.56 km²
    Unnamed island0.52 km²
    Île nord du Prince-de-Monaco0.52 km²
    Unnamed island0.48 km²
    Îlot des Cormorans0.45 km²
    île Hould0.44 km²
    Marino Island0.44 km²
    Unnamed island0.42 km²
    Îlot Ravelo0.42 km²
    Îlots Hallet0.39 km²
    Gibson Island0.37 km²
    Île du Veau Marin0.36 km²
    Île Dayman0.32 km²
    Île du Bélier0.3 km²
    Îlot Py0.3 km²
    Île de la Carmen0.29 km²
    Île Greak0.28 km²
    Unnamed island0.28 km²
    Îlot Carrington0.28 km²
    Îlot du Chaton0.25 km²
    Îlot Rosily0.24 km²
    Unnamed island0.23 km²
    Îlots du Challenger0.23 km²
    Îles Davis0.23 km²
    Îlots Max Christensen0.22 km²
    Unnamed island0.22 km²
    Île Colomban0.22 km²
    Unnamed island0.21 km²
    Unnamed island0.21 km²
    Unnamed island0.2 km²
    Île Soé0.2 km²
    Île Massar0.2 km²
    Île Jean Bart0.19 km²
    Unnamed island0.18 km²
    Îlot Baudin0.18 km²
    Îlot Douguet0.18 km²
    Île Stafford0.17 km²
    Îlot Berland0.17 km²
    Îlots Howlett0.17 km²
    Unnamed island0.17 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Îlot Cagne0.15 km²
    Îlot Guibon0.15 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Belle-Île0.15 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Îlot Moilimou Bedja0.14 km²
    Îlot Ninas0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Îlot Scharbau0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Île Matley0.14 km²
    Île du Commandant-Loranchet0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.13 km²
    île Ronde0.13 km²
    Île aux Prions0.12 km²
    Unnamed island0.12 km²
    Îlot Cézembre0.12 km²
    Unnamed island0.11 km²
    Île Jules0.11 km²
    Unnamed island0.11 km²
    Île Henry0.11 km²
    Îlots Saint-Salvy0.1 km²
    Unnamed island0.1 km²
    Unnamed island0.1 km²

    Groups within

    24

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs