Tromelin Island

Tromelin Island
Île Tromelin (French)
Flag of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Motto: "Liberté, égalité, fraternité"
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Official languagesFrench
French Overseas Territory
• Discovered by Jean Marie Briand de la Feuillée
1722
• French claim to sovereignty
29 November 1776
CurrencyEuro (EUR)
ISO 3166 codeTF
Internet TLD.tf
Disputed island
Location of Tromelin and other Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean
EtymologyJacques Marie Boudin de Tromelin de La Nuguy
Geography
LocationIndian Ocean
Coordinates15°53′32″S 54°31′29″E / 15.89222°S 54.52472°E / -15.89222; 54.52472
Administration
Overseas territoryFrench Southern and Antarctic Lands
DistrictScattered Islands in the Indian Ocean
Claimed by
Outer Islands
Anchor of the wrecked frigate Utile

Tromelin Island (/ˌtrmlɪn/[citation needed]; French: Île Tromelin, pronounced [il tʁɔmlɛ̃]), once called the Isle of Sand, is a low, flat island in the Indian Ocean about 500 km (310 mi; 270 nmi) north of Réunion and about 450 km (280 mi; 240 nmi) east of Madagascar. Tromelin is part of the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, the fifth district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, a French Overseas Territory, but Mauritius claims sovereignty over the island.

Tromelin has facilities for scientific expeditions and a weather station.[1] It is a nesting site for birds and green sea turtles.

  1. ^ "[no title cited]". New Scientist. Vol. 145. 14 January 1995. p. 10.[full citation needed]