Kerguelen Islands

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Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands are an overseas territory of France. But their far-off location in the southern Indian Ocean places these islands far closer to Antarctica than to mainland Europe. In fact, the islands are so remote and the landscape so harsh that they have also been called the “Desolation Islands.” Grande Terre (French for “large land”) is the most sizeable in the island group. Its steep fjords and peninsulas are ringed by hundreds of smaller islands, which bring the archipelago’s total land area to 7215 square kilometers (2,786 square miles). Penguin and seal populations are among the wildlife that thrive on Grande Terre. But because of its remoteness—and the severely cold, windy weather—you won’t find many people. Most residents of the island are scientists based in the settlement of Port-aux-Français, where they study everything from geology and biology to weather and climate.
Baie de la Table

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Cap Ratmanoff

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Jacky Hut

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Laboureur Camp

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Port aux Francais

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