While probably earlier known to Arab (perhaps especially Yemeni) navigators, the Glorieuses were named and settled in 1880 by a
Frenchman, Hippolyte Caltaux, who established a
coconut plantation on Grande Glorieuse. The archipelago became a French possession in 1892 when Captain Richard of the
Primauget made a formal claim. In 1895, the Glorioso Island became a part of the
colony of Mayotte and dependencies. Historically flora on the islands mostly consisted of
bois de rose,
portia,
banyan and other large native trees, many of which were felled following the establishment of the French settlement and plantation. From 1914 to 1958, concessions to exploit the islands were given to
Seychelles companies. The islands are today
nature reserves with a
meteorological station garrisoned by the
French Foreign Legion. Despite the Glorioso Islands never having been a part of the
Malagasy Protectorate but a part of the colony of Mayotte and dependencies, then a part of
French Comoros,
Madagascar has claimed sovereignty over the islands since 1972. The Comoros claims Mayotte and Glorioso Islands. The Seychelles claimed the islands too before the
France–Seychelles Maritime Boundary Agreement in 2001. In 2012, France founded
Glorioso Islands Marine Natural Park, a
marine protected area, to preserve the endangered flora and fauna of the islands. The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean are partially claimed by the Comoros, Madagascar, and Mauritius. The Malagasy and Mauritian claims, however, are significantly later than their access to independence. However, the agreement reached in October 2024 on the restitution to Mauritius of the Chagos Islands by Great Britain, in the heart of the Indian Ocean, notably home to the American base of Diego Garcia, has relaunched the debate in Madagascar. ==Gallery==