Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands consist of a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa, approximately equidistant between Africa, Antarctica and Australia; Adélie Land, the French claim on the Antarctica continent; the Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean. The territory is also often called the French Southern Lands or French Southern Territories, which excludes Adélie Land where French sovereignty is not recognised internationally. The lands are not connected to France Antarctique, a former French colony in Brazil. The territory has no permanent population; the population consists of military personnel, civilian officials, scientific researchers and support staff.