]! ^! First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. 
]" ^" Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar ^# 15 52 S, 54 25 E ^$ Africa ^% `! 1 sq km `" 1 sq km `# 0 sq km ^& about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC ^' 0 km ^( 3.7 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm `J 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation ^* tropical ^+ low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic ^, `% Indian Ocean 0 m `& unnamed location 7 m ^- fish ^. `' 0% `( 0% `) 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001) ^/ 0 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 NA ^1 NA ^2 climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) 
]# ^3 uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2005 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 none `5 Tromelin Island `V none `W Ile Tromelin ^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 
]& _a important meteorological station 
]' _C none; offshore anchorage only _D 1 (2004 est.) _L `! 1 `T 1 (2004 est.) 
]( _G defense is the responsibility of France 
]) _H claimed by Mauritius 