Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean

The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (French: Îles Éparses or Îles Éparses de l'océan Indien) consist of four small coral islands and an atoll, as well as a reef in the Indian Ocean; they constitute the fifth district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, though sovereignty over some or all of the islands is contested by the Comoros, Madagascar, and Mauritius. None of the islands have ever had a permanent population, though the French armed forces maintain small troop contingents on some of the islands.

Two of the coral islands—Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island—and the Bassas da India atoll lie in the Mozambique Channel, while a third coral island—Tromelin Island—lies about 450 kilometres (280 mi) east of Madagascar. The Glorioso Islands lie about 200 kilometres (120 mi) northwest of Madagascar, and Banc du Geyser, a mostly submerged reef in the Mozambique Channel, is claimed by France as being part of their exclusive economic zone.

The extent of the exclusive economic zones granted by the ownership of the islands grants them strategic importance. France bases small detachments of military personnel on the islands to assert its presence amd sovereignty over them.

The islands have been declared 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, Mauritius, and Réunion. Each of the islands, except Bassas da India, has an airstrip with a length in excess of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean are partially claimed by the Comoros, Madagascar, and Mauritius. The debate has been relaunched in Madagascar after an agreement on the restitution to Mauritius of the Chagos Islands by the United Kingdom was reached in October 2024.