evidence: Tromelin is a small coral reef island located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 440 km East of Madagascar and 580 km North of La Réunion in the Indian ocean. The low, flat, sandy island is a part of French overseas territory. It is the site of a meteorological station important in forecasting Indian Ocean cyclones. A wildlife sanctuary, Tromelin is home to sea turtles and many seabirds but is uninhabited except for visiting scientists. Tromelin has facilities for scientific expeditions and a weather station. It is a nesting site for birds and green sea turtles. See Tromelin island google Maps. Tromelin (Iles Eparses) has been administered on behalf of the French state by the senior administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF- Les Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises), based in Reunion. The Iles Eparses had previously been under the administration of the prefect of Reunion since the independence of Madagascar in 1960. Since 1952, it has been the site of a French meteorological station. But back in 1761, the island was just an uncharted speck in the Indian Ocean. [...] Tromelin Island is an ideal place to monitor weather, especially cyclones, bound for Madagascar. In 1954, French authorities built a weather station in Tromelin and it is still in operation today and consists of a few buildings.