Europa Island

Europe (French Île Europe ) is a 28 km ² large tropical island in the Mozambique Channel, about half- way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique.

Politics and Administration

The island is since 1897 owned by France and was separated after the independence of this former French colony of Madagascar, but is still claimed by the Malagasy Government. Like the other Îles Éparses Europe is managed by the prefects and top managers of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands since 2005. Before that, it had been administered by the prefect of the overseas department of Réunion since 1960 without belonging even to Réunion.

Geography and Economics

The coastline is 22.2 km long, but the island has no harbor, but only an anchorage off the coast. It is mostly covered by mangrove forests. About half of the 9 km ² lagoon is covered with mangroves. In Europe there is a sanctuary for wildlife. Exploitable natural resource deposits, however, are as good as any available.

On the island there is no indigenous population and economic activity, but there is a small military garrison with a meteorological station and an approximately 1000 m long landing strip for airplanes.

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ ) has a size of 127.3 thousand km ². The territorial waters stretch over 200 km ².

Air table

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