Bassas da India is an uninhabited, roughly circularFrenchatoll that is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. Located in the southern Mozambique Channel, about halfway between Mozambique and Madagascar and around northwest of Europa Island, the rim of the atoll averages around in width and encloses a shallow lagoon of depth no greater than. Overall, the atoll is about in diameter, rising steeply from the seabed below to encircle an area of. Its exclusive economic zone, in size, is contiguous with that of Europa Island. The atoll consists of ten barren rocky islets, with no vegetation, totalling in area. Those on the north and east sides are high, while those on the west and south sides are high. The reef, whose coastline measures, is completely coveredby the sea from three hours before high tide to three hours afterward. The region is also subject to cyclones, making the atoll a long-time maritime hazard and the site of numerous shipwrecks. Jaguar Seamount and Hall Tablemount lie, respectively, about further southwest.
History
The Bassas da India was first recorded by Portuguese explorers in the early sixteenth century as the "Baixo da Judia". The Judia was the Portuguese ship that discovered the feature by running aground on it in 1506. The name became "Bassas da India" due to transcription errors by cartographers. The Santiagobroke up on the shoal in 1585. It was rediscovered by the Europa in 1774, whence the name "Europa Rocks". The Malay was lost 27 July 1842 on the Europa Rocks. In 1897, the shoal became a French possession, later being placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Réunion in 1968. Madagascar became independent in 1960 and has claimed sovereignty over the shoal since 1972.
Wildlife
The presence of Galapagos sharks was reported in 2003, which is a first in the Mozambique Channel.
Tourism
at Bassas da India requires a permit from the French Government. Fishing without such a permit may result in the boat being expelled or even confiscated. Several illegal tourism charters departing from Mozambique or South Africa have been seized since 2013 by the French navy.
