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The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean ( or Îles éparses de l'océan indien) consist of four small coral islands, an atoll, and a reef in the Indian Ocean, and have constituted the 5th district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) since February 2007. They have no permanent population. Three of the islands - the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova and Europa - and the Bassas da India atoll lie in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while the fourth island, Tromelin, lies about 450 km (279.6 mi) east of Madagascar. Also in the Mozambique Channel is the Banc du Geyser, a reef which was annexed by Madagascar in 1976. France continues to view the Banc du Geyser as part of the Îles Éparses.
The islands have been classified as nature reserves. Except for Bassas da India, they all support meteorological stations: those on the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova and Europa Island are automated. The station on Tromelin Island, in particular, provides warning of cyclones threatening Madagascar, Réunion or Mauritius. Each of the islands, except Bassas da India and Banc du Geyser, has an airstrip of more than 1000 m (3280.8 ft). Mauritius, the Comoros, Seychelles, and Madagascar dispute France's sovereignty over the islands. Mauritius claims Tromelin; the Comoros and Seychelles claim the Glorioso Islands; the Comoros and Madagascar claim Banc du Geyser; and Madagascar claims the remaining islands.
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