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Coordinates: 21°28′57″S 39°40′19″E / 21.4825°S 39.67194°E
 Bassas da India (also called Basse de Judie) is an uninhabited, roughly circular atoll about 10 km in diameter, which corresponds to a total size (including lagoon) of 80 km². It is located in the southern Mozambique Channel, about half-way between Madagascar (which is 385 km to the east) and Mozambique, and 110 km 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 is contiguous with that of Europa Island. The atoll consists of ten barren rocky islets, with no vegetation, totalling 0.2 km² 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. 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.
[edit] HistoryBassas da India was first recorded by Portuguese explorers in the early sixteenth century. It was first named Baixo da Judia, "Shoal of Judia". "Judia" was the name of a Portuguese ship that ran aground on this reef. This ship was named "Judia" (Jewess in Portuguese), because its owner was a Jewish trader from Portugal.[1] The name became Bassas da India due to transcription errors by cartographers. It was also discovered by the the Europa in 1774, hence the name "the Europa Rocks".[2] "The Malay was lost July 27, 1842, on Europa Rocks in Mozambique Channel" [3] In 1897 it became a French possession, later being placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Réunion in 1968. [edit] TourismDiving at Bassas Da India requires a permit from the French Government. If you dive without this permit your boat will be asked to leave or may even be confiscated. [edit] References
[edit] External links
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