The Egmont Islands ("Six Iles") are one of the six coral atolls that make up the Chagos Archipelago. The atoll lies less than 10 km South the coral reef of the Southern rim of the Great Chagos Bank. The nearest Island is Danger Island on the Great Chagos Bank, less than 30 km due North. The total size is about 39 km2, including the lagoon and the fringing coral reef. The land area totals about 4 km2. The largest island is "Ile Sud-Est" (Eastern Egmont), where the settlement was located, with an area of 1.5 km2. While "Ile Lubine" is similar in size, the other islets are smaller.
There are two passages into the lagoon along the Northern Rim, Fausse Passe in the Northeast and a wider passage in the Northwest.
GPS coordinates of the island are approximately 6 deg 40.5 S, 71 deg 21.3 E (former settlement on Ile Sud-Est).
The individual islands are all on the Southern rim of the coral reef. They are, from Southeast to Northwest:
- Ile Sud-Est
- Ile Tatamaka
- Ile Carpate
- Ile Lubine
- Ile Cipaye
- Ilot aux Rats
- Ile aux Rats
Reference
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