Kerguelen Islands

The Kerguelen Islands are a group of islands in the subantarctic southern Indian Ocean, among the most remote places on Earth. They form the emerged portion of the submerged Kerguelen Plateau, built by volcanic activity associated with a hotspot. The main landmass, Grande Terre, spans about 6,675 square kilometers and is accompanied by roughly 300 smaller islands, and France administers the whole territory as part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, maintaining a permanent scientific presence there year round.