Bassas da India

Bassas da India (bä"säs du ēndyä') [key], uninhabited atoll, 0.1 sq mi (0.2 sq km), in the S Mozambique Channel, W Indian Ocean, about midway between Madagascar and Mozambique. The atoll's rocky islets, which emerge from a circular reef, sometimes present a maritime hazard since they are normally under water at high tide and are protected by bristling reefs. A French possession since 1897, the Bassas da India group has been administered by a commissioner in Réunion since 1968. The group is also claimed by Madagascar.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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