Kerguelen Islands
![The islands are named after French explorer [[Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Yves_de_Kerguelen.jpg)
The
Kerguelen Islands ( or ; in French commonly '
but officially ', ), also known as the
Desolation Islands ('''' in French), are a
group of islands in the
sub-Antarctic constituting one of the two exposed parts of the
Kerguelen Plateau, a
large igneous province mostly submerged in the southern Indian Ocean. They are among the
most isolated places on Earth, located more than from
Madagascar. The islands, along with
Adélie Land, the
Crozet Islands,
Amsterdam and
Saint Paul islands, and France's
Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, are part of the
French Southern and Antarctic Lands and are administered as a separate district.
The main island, Grande Terre, is in area, about three-quarters of the size of
Corsica, and is surrounded by a further 300 smaller islands and islets, forming an
archipelago of . The climate is harsh and chilly with frequent high winds throughout the year. The surrounding seas are generally rough and they remain ice-free year-round. There are no indigenous inhabitants, but France maintains a permanent presence of 45 to 100 soldiers, scientists, engineers, and researchers. There are no airports on the islands, so all travel to and from the outside world is by ship.
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