evidence: The fifth district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands since Februar 2007 is called The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (Îles Éparses or Îles Éparses de l’océan Indien), consisting of four small coral islands, an atoll, and a reef in the Indian Ocean. They have never had a permanent population. Two of the islands — Juan de Nova and Europa — and the Bassas da India atoll lie in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while a third island, Tromelin, lies about 280 miles (450 km) east of Madagascar and the Glorioso Islands lies about 120 miles (200 km) northwest of Madagascar. Also in the Mozambique Channel is the Banc du Geyser, a reef under French control claimed by Madagascar since 1976. France and the Comoros view the Banc du Geyser as part of the Glorioso Islands.