Île Amsterdam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Île Amsterdam IPA: [ˈi.lɑm.stəˈdɑm] (meaning Amsterdam island, after the Dutch capital) is a French island in the Indian Ocean located at .
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[edit] Description
The island is volcanic but has been inactive since 1792. It has an area of 55 km² (21 mi²), measuring 21 km (13 mi) on its longest side, and reaches as high as 867 m (2844 ft) at the Mont de la Dives.
The island is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Terres australes et antarctiques françaises; TAAF), and together with neighboring île Saint-Paul (85 km to the South) forms one of the five districts of the territory. Its base Martin-de-Viviès, formerly called La Roche Gódon, is the capital of the territory.
Unlike most parts of TAAF, Île Amsterdam has a mild, oceanic climate, with a mean annual temperature of 13ºC (55ºF}, rainfall of 1,100 mm, persistent westerly winds and high levels of humidity.[1]
The island has Phylica arborea trees, which are also found on Tristan da Cunha.
Île Amsterdam is one of only three islands which are land antipodes of the continental United States. It corresponds to an area near La Junta, Colorado. The other two antipodes are île Saint-Paul and Kerguelen Island.
[edit] History
Île Amsterdam was discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano on March 18, 1522. Elcano did not name the island, however.
Having found the island unnamed, the Dutch captain Anthonie van Diemen named it Nieuw Amsterdam (Dutch for 'New Amsterdam') after his ship in 1633.
The first base was erected in 1949 in the same place, and originally called Camp Heurtin.
The Global Atmosphere Watch still has an atmospheric research station on île Amsterdam.
[edit] See also
- French overseas departments and territories
- Administrative divisions of France
- Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
[edit] External links
- photos of Ile Amsterdam and St.Paul (French site)
- Ile Amsterdam visit (photos from a tourist's recent visit)
- http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/St-Paul_Amsterdam.shtml
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands at the CIA World Factbook
- South Atlantic & Subantarctic Islands site, Amsterdam Island page
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| Overseas departments1 | French Guiana · Guadeloupe · Martinique · Réunion |
| Overseas collectivities | French Polynesia · Mayotte2 · Saint Barthelemy · Saint Martin · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Wallis and Futuna |
| Special status | New Caledonia |
| Uninhabited lands | Clipperton Island French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Amsterdam Island • Saint-Paul Island • Crozet Islands • Kerguelen Islands • Adélie Land Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean: Bassas da India3 • Europa Island3 • Glorioso Islands2, 3, 4 • Juan de Nova Island3 • Tromelin Island5) |
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1 Also known as overseas regions • 2 claimed by Comoros • 3 claimed by Madagascar • 4 claimed by Seychelles • 5 claimed by Mauritius
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1 Sovereignity over territories in Antarctica currently suspended under the Antarctic Treaty System.
