]! ^! A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. 
]" ^" Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique ^# 22 20 S, 40 22 E ^$ Africa ^% `! 28 sq km `" 28 sq km `# 0 sq km ^& about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC ^' 0 km ^( 22.2 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm ^* tropical ^+ low and flat ^, `% Indian Ocean 0 m `& unnamed location 24 m ^- NEGL ^. `' 0% `( 0% `) 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001) ^/ 0 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 NA ^1 NA ^2 wildlife sanctuary 
]# ^3 no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 none `5 Europa Island `V none `W Ile Europa ^G possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands ^N the laws of France, where applicable, apply ^X the flag of France is used 
]% ^Y no economic activity _% none 
]& _a 1 meteorological station 
]' _C none; offshore anchorage only _D 1 (2004 est.) _L `! 1 `_ 1 (2004 est.) 
]( _G defense is the responsibility of France 
]) _H claimed by Madagascar 