Kerguelen

The Kerguelen Islands, officially the Îles Kerguelen, are a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean. They form part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, an overseas territory of France. The archipelago lies in the southern Indian Ocean, roughly midway between Africa and Antarctica. The largest island is Grande Terre, and the group includes several smaller islands and rocks. The climate is subantarctic, with strong winds, cool temperatures, and frequent rainfall. Vegetation is sparse and dominated by grasses and mosses, with the Kerguelen cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) as a notable plant; surrounding seas support seabirds, penguins, and marine mammals such as seals.

Discovered in 1772 by French navigator Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec, the islands were named after him. They were used by explorers and later became a site for ongoing scientific activity. Port-aux-Français, on Grande Terre, is the main settlement and administrative center, housing a small permanent population of researchers and support staff, with additional personnel during research campaigns. The territory is administered by France as part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). Access is provided by supply ships and occasional air service; the settlement maintains research facilities, a meteorological observatory, and a small harbor.

The name Kerguelen also refers to the Kerguelen Plateau, a large submarine volcanic plateau in the southern Indian Ocean named after the same explorer. It is part of a major Large Igneous Province and extends beneath surrounding ocean waters, separate from the island group.