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Outer Islands of Mauritius

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

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The Outer Islands of Mauritius (French: Îles éparses de Maurice) is the first-level administrative divisions of the country and consists of the islands of Mauritius and several outlying islands.[1] The Outer Islands of Mauritius are managed under the aegis of the Prime Minister of Mauritius through Prime Minister's Office[2] by the Outer Islands Development Corporation which is the authority empowered under the law to manage the Outer Islands of Mauritius. The Prime Minister is also Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity.[3] The Constitution of Mauritius states that the Republic of Mauritius includes the islands of Agaléga, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Saint Brandon (Cargados Carajos shoals), Tromelin Island, and the Chagos Archipelago (including Diego Garcia and other associated islands).[4] The Government of Mauritius claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, which the United Kingdom split from its territories to create the British Indian Ocean Territory before its independence in 1968. Additionally, France shares a sovereignty claim over Tromelin Island, an uninhabited island between Madagascar and Mauritius's main island.[5]

Territory

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Republic of Mauritius, including islands claimed by the country

The total area of the Republic of Mauritius is 2,040 km2 (excluding the Chagos Archipelago), making it the 169th largest country in the world by area. Mauritian territory also incorporates the island of Rodrigues, which is situated some 560 kilometers to the east and is 104 km2 in area.[1] Rodrigues used to be the country's tenth district, before it gained autonomous status in 2002. The two islands of Agaléga have a total land area of 2,600 hectares and are situated some 1,000 km to the north of Mauritius. Saint Brandon (Cargados Carajos) 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 which are used as natural reserves for the protection of endangered species.

The country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers about 2.3 million km2 of the Indian Ocean, including approximately 400,000 km2 jointly managed with Seychelles.[6] Four fishing banks fall within its EEZ limits: Hawkins Bank, Nazareth Bank, the Saya de Malha Bank, and the Soudan Banks (including East Soudan 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

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  1. ^ a b c Government of Mauritius. "Location – The territory of Mauritius". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Outer Islands Development Corporation Under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Office". oidc.govmu.org. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  3. ^ "The Prime Minister of Mauritius : Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications; Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications; Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity". pmo.govmu.org. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  4. ^ Commonwealth of Nations (2011). "Mauritius- Country profile" (PDF): 1. Retrieved 12 April 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ "CIA- The World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  6. ^ "The diversified economy of Mauritius". Sunibel Corporate Services. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  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: Commonwealth assists Mauritius, Seychelles in successfully claiming 396,000 km of additional seabed". AllAfrica. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Mauritius and Seychelles to jointly manage extended continental shelf". 6 May 2011. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
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