Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean

• Bassas da India • Ten unnamed rock islets • Europa Island • Île Europa • Eight unnamed rock islets • Glorioso Islands • Banc du Geyser • Grande Glorieuse • Île du Lys • South Rock • Verte Rocks (three islets) • Wreck Rock • Three unnamed islets • Juan de Nova Island • Tromelin Island == Administration ==

Since January 3, 2005, the Scattered Islands have been administered on behalf of the French state by the senior administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, based in Réunion. The Scattered Islands had previously been under the administration of the prefect of Réunion since the independence of Madagascar in 1960. France maintains a military garrison of around 14 troops on each of the islands in the Mozambique Channel that are claimed by Madagascar. The troops are supported by French naval vessels based in Réunion conducting patrol missions and re-supply operations about four times per year. The Glorioso Islands are also claimed by the Comoros, while Mauritius claims Tromelin Island. France has an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles around each of the small islands in the Scattered Islands, which together with the EEZ claims for the islands of Mayotte and Réunion totals more than one million square kilometres in the western Indian Ocean. There is considerable overlap of the EEZ with the neighbouring states. == Sovereignty dispute ==

Mauritius, Madagascar, and the Comoros dispute France's sovereignty over these islands. Mauritius claims Tromelin Island and states that the island, discovered by France in 1722, was not ceded by the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Madagascar claims sovereignty over the Glorioso Islands (including Banc du Geyser), though the island group was never a part of the Malagasy Protectorate, having been a part of the Colony of Mayotte and dependencies, then a part of the French Comoros that had become a separately administered colony from Madagascar in 1946. The Comoros also claims the Glorioso Islands (including Banc du Geyser), as a part of the disputed French region of Mayotte. Furthermore, Madagascar has also claimed Bassas da India, Europa Island, and Juan de Nova Island since 1972, and a 1979 United Nations resolution (without binding force) demanded the cession of these islands to Madagascar. Seychelles claimed a part of the Scattered Islands too before the signing of the France–Seychelles Maritime Boundary Agreement. A negotiation session between France and Madagascar took place in November 2020. In April 2025, France and Madagascar announced that they would meet in June 2025 to find a peaceful solution to the dispute. President Emmanuel Macron favors a form of co-management with Madagascar, rather than restitution. On June 20, 2025, Malagasy Foreign Minister Rasata Rafaravavitafika chaired a meeting of the scientific committee devoted to Madagascar's claim to the Scattered Islands. The objective of this meeting was to develop arguments for preserving Madagascar's sovereignty over the Scattered Islands, while moving forward in discussions with France. On June 24, 2025, the Malagasy platform "Sehatry ny Raiamandreny" (Sera) affirmed the indefatigability of Madagascar's claim to the territories of the Scattered Islands. The second commission, between France and Madagascar, met on June 30, 2025, for bilateral discussions on congestion, or the restitution of the Scattered Islands to Madagascar. On June 26, 2025, France published the lists of negotiators at the meeting of June 30, 2025, between Madagascar and France. == See also ==