]! ^! A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. 
]" ^" Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar ^# 11 30 S, 47 20 E ^$ Africa ^% `! 5 sq km `" 5 sq km `# 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock ^& about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC ^' 0 km ^( 35.2 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm ^* tropical ^+ low and flat ^, `% Indian Ocean 0 m `& unnamed location 12 m ^- guano, coconuts ^. `' 0% `( 0% `) 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001) ^/ 0 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 periodic cyclones ^1 NA ^2 the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system 
]# ^3 no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 none `5 Glorioso Islands `V none `W Iles Glorieuses ^G possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands ^N the laws of France, where applicable, apply ^V none (possession of France) ^W none (possession of France) ^X the flag of France is used 
]% ^Y no economic activity 
]& _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 