It is a possession of France administered by a high commissioner of the Republic in Reunion and defended by France, but is also claimed by Madagascar. Its data code is JU. Its only railway is a short line going to a jetty, it has no ports or harbors, offshore anchorage only, and only one airport, an unpaved strip about 1000 meters long.
The island has no indigenous population, though there is a small military garrison and a meteorological station. 90% of the island is a forested wildlife sanctuary. Its only exploitable natural resources are guano deposits and other fertilizers. 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.
See also: Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans