Agalega Islands

Infobox Islands
name = Agalega Islands


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location = Indian Ocean
coordinates= coord|10|25|S|56|35|E|
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total islands = 2
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area = 70 km²
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country = Mauritius
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ethnic groups =The Agalega Islands are two islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 1,100 km (700 miles) north of Mauritius at coord|10|25|S|56|35|E|. The islands, governed by Mauritius, have a total area of 70 km².

The North Island is home to the islands' airstrip and the capital of Vingt Cinq and village of La Fourche, while the South Island has the village of Sainte Rita.

The islands are known for their coconuts, the production of which is the main industry, and for the Agalega Island Day Gecko. At one time, no coinage circulated on the islands; all payment was by government-issued vouchers and debited directly from the inhabitants' salaries.

Indian lease

In early December 2006, the Indian newspaper, the "Times of India", carried a series of reports that Mauritius had suggested transferring the Agalegas to India on a long lease in order to develop tourist infrastructure [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/25/asia/AS_GEN_India_Mauritius_Tourism.php Mauritius asks India to develop remote Agalega Islands into tourist resort - Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune ] ] , [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_eyes_an_island_in_the_sun/articleshow/563606.cms India eyes an island in the sun-India-The Times of India ] ] , [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_acquiring_global_footprint/articleshow/563642.cms India acquiring global footprint-India-The Times of India ] ] , [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/OPINION/Editorial/Land_Ahoy/articleshow/606199.cms Land Ahoy!-Editorial-Opinion-The Times of India ] ] .

Given the facts of Mauritian politics, built around balancing the various ethnic communities, such as the Francophone Creoles and the Indo-Mauritians, Creoles objected to and denied this suggestion [ [http://www.lexpress.mu/display_article_sup.php?news_id=77161 l'express ] ] .

In an interview granted to the "Times of India", the Mauritian Deputy Premier, Xavier-Luc Duval, an ethnic Creole himself, denied that there was any move by the Mauritian government to cede or lease the islands to India [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/OPINION/Editorial/QA_Our_multi-ethnic_identities_hold_us_together/articleshow/747759.cms 'Our multi-ethnic identities hold us together'-Editorial-Opinion-The Times of India ] ] .

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.encyclopedia.mu/Nature/Geography/Islets/Agalega/ Encycloædia Mauritiana entry ]
* [http://www.alphavilla.info/iles.htm Agalega island]