Outer Islands of Mauritius

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Outer Islands of Mauritius (French: Îles éparses de Maurice) is the single first-order administrative division of the country and consists of the islands of Mauritius and several outlying islands.[1] It is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government and Outer Islands. The Constitution of Mauritius provides that the country includes the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga, Saint Brandon (Cargados Carajos), Tromelin and the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia and any other island comprised in the State of Mauritius.[2] The Government of Mauritius claim sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, which the United Kingdom split from its territories to create the British Indian Ocean Territory before its Independence in 1965 (See Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute). Mauritius also claims sovereignty over Tromelin island from France, small islands that lie 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius.[3][4]

Territory

Republic of Mauritius including islands claim by the country

The total land area of the country is 2040 km2 (excluding the Chagos Archipelago),[5] that is the 180th largest nation in the world by size. Mauritian territory also incorporates the island of Rodrigues, which is situated some 560 kilometers to the east and is 104 km2 in area.[3][5] Rodrigues used to be the country's tenth district, it gained autonomous status in 2002. The twin islands of Agaléga is situated some 1,000 km to the north of Mauritius, it has a total land area of 2,600 hectares. Saint Brandon is situated some 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius, it is an archipelago comprising a number of sand-banks, shoals and islets.[1] Just off the Mauritian coast lie some 49 tiny uninhabited islands and islets (see Islets of Mauritius), some of them are used as natural reserves for the protection of endangered species.

The nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) cover about 2.3 million km2 of the Indian Ocean, including approx. 400,000 km2 jointly managed with the Seychelles.[6] Four fishing banks fall within EEZ limits, the Soudan Banks (including East Soudan Bank), Nazareth Bank, Saya de Malha Bank, Hawkins Bank. In 2011 the United Nations endorsed the joint submission of Mauritius and Seychelles to extend their continental shelf of 396,000 km2 in the Mascarene region which gives the two countries sovereign right to jointly manage and exploit the seabed and subsoil of the joint area.[7][8][9]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Government of Mauritius. "The territory". Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  2. ↑ Commonwealth of Nations (2011). "Mauritius- Country profile" (PDF): 1. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Geography − location". Gov.mu. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "CIA- The World Factbook". cia.gov. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  5. 1 2 Ministry of Finance & Economic Development (2011). "Population and Vital Statistics - Republic of Mauritius, January - June 2011". 1 July 2011. Government of Mauritius: 2. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "MAURITIUS: PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OCEAN ECONOMY" (PDF). Intercontinental Trust. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) Outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines:Submissions to the Commission: Joint submission by the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles". United Nations. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Mauritius and Seychelles successfully claim 396,000km of additional seabed". Commonwealth of Nations. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "Mauritius and Seychelles to jointly manage extended continental shelf". 6 May 2011. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 21 March 2012.

Coordinates: 20°12′S 57°30′E / 20.2°S 57.5°E / -20.2; 57.5

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