Bassas da India
Bassas da India (; in Malagasy: Nosy Bedimaky) is an uninhabited, roughly circular French atoll that is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. Located in the southern Mozambique Channel, about halfway between Mozambique and Madagascar (about further east) 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 (including lagoon) of . Its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), 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 covered by 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" (""Jewess" Shoals"). The "Judia" (""Jewess"", for the ancestry of its owner Fernão de Loronha) 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 "Santiago" broke 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. Mooring 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.