Bassas da India (French: Basse de Judie) is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. It is an uninhabited, roughly circular atoll about 10 km (6 mi) in diameter, which corresponds to a total size (including lagoon) of 80 km2 (31 sq mi). It is located in the southern Mozambique Channel, about half-way between Madagascar (which is 385 km (239 mi) to the east) and Mozambique, and 110 km (68 mi) northwest of Europa Island. It rises steeply from the seabed 3000 m below. The reef rim averages around 100 m across and completely encloses a shallow lagoon that has a maximum depth of 15 m. Its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 123,700 km2 (47,761 sq mi) is contiguous with that of Europa Island.
The atoll consists of ten barren rocky islets, with no vegetation, totalling 0.2 km² (.077 sq mi) in area. Those on the north and east sides are 2.1 to 3 m high, and those on the west and south sides 1.2 m The reef is completely covered by the sea from 3 hours before to 3 hours after high tide. The coastline of the reef measures 35.2 km (22 mi). The region is subject to cyclones. The atoll has long been a maritime hazard and is the site of numerous shipwrecks.
About 40 and 70 km southwest of Bassas da India are Jaguar Seamount and Hall Tablemount.
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Detailed map.
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ISS photograph.
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Landsat 7 image.
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CIA WFB map.
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CIA map.
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ISS image of Bassas da India with varying degrees of sunglint.
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“But nothing in India is identifiable, the mere asking of a question causes it to disappear or to merge in something else.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)