evidence: The Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean under French sovereignty became in 2007 the fifth district of the territory and comprises four small coral islands and an atoll in the Indian Ocean. They have no permanent population. Three of the islands groups, Glorieuses, Juan de Nova and Europa, as well as the Bassas da India atoll lie in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar, while the fourth island, Tromelin, is about 220 miles east of Madagascar. In the same area lie ► Heard Island and McDonald Islands (which are not part of this French territory but are governed by Australia). [...] Glorioso Island became a French possession in 1892, followed in 1897 by Bassas da India, Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island. In 1954 Tromelin Island came under French control. Since 2005 the islands have been administered on behalf of the French state by the senior administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Territories. The islands had previously been under the administration of the prefect of Réunion since the independence of Madagascar in 1960. France maintains a military garrison of around 14 troops on each of the islands in the Mozambique Channel, which are claimed by Madagascar. The Glorieuses islands are also claimed by the Comoros, while Mauritius claims Tromelin island.