Icelands

Far from the beaten path of global commerce, situated between Madagascar, Antarctica and Australia, are a chain of frozen volcanic islands. Although these rocks aren’t worth much, we all know that nations will posture for possession over even the most worthless of islands, and these islands are no exception.

The French Southern Territoriess consist of a handful of islands, of which Iles Kerguelen is the largest. These islands have no permanent inhabitants and are only occasionally visited by researchers, tourists, and patrols. Claimed by the French since 1840, the US is one of several countries that does not recognize the French claim, although why anyone would want control is a mystery. Dominion of the islands is costly; although they supply some revenue from fishing and tourism, policing the waters (from poachers), supplying research tours and outposts, and administering the islands is a sizable drain on the French territorial budget.

Australia also controls the similarly uninhabited Heard Island and McDonald Islands. First discovered territories of Great Britain in the 1850s, they have been under the protection of Australia since 1947. The islands are a nature preserve, and unlike the French Southern Territories, the United States does not dispute the ownership. Heard Island is the only island in the area believed to have been continuously inhabited. During the sealing period from 1855”“1880, as many as 200 American sealers lived on the island, at least until the seal population was wiped out. Remains of the settlements are remarkably well preserved, and stone platforms, hut ruins, and graves from the era have become part of Australia’s cultural heritage. Many perished in the harsh conditions, and the rocky shores were treacherous for boats—there are a number of wrecks around the islands. Why America protests France’s claim to the Southern Territories and not Australia’s claim to Heard and McDonald Islands is not clear to me.

Of course, if global warming heats up the planet or major trade routes appear in the southern Indian Ocean, it’s always possible these islands could become important depots. In the meantime, they’re just isolated islands of ice with little economic or political value.