Île Amsterdam

File:Martin de Viviès depuis l'hélico.jpg

The first person known to have sighted the island was the Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, on 18 March 1522, during his circumnavigation of the world. Elcano called it {{lang |es |Desesperanza}} ({{lit |Despair}}), because he couldn't find a safe place to land and his crew was desperate for water after 40 days of sailing from Timor. On 17 June 1633, Dutch colonial governor and mariner Anthonie van Diemen sighted the island, and named it after his ship, {{lang |nl |Nieuw Amsterdam}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam_history_early.html |title= Early History of Amsterdam and St Paul Islands, South Indian Ocean|website=www.btinternet.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023224934/http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam_history_early.html |archive-date=October 23, 2012}} The first recorded landing on the island occurred in December 1696, led by the Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh.[http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/kenniscentrum/kalender Het Scheepvaartmuseum – Maritieme Kalender] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326213058/http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/kenniscentrum/kalender |date=March 26, 2014 }}

French mariner Pierre François Péron wrote that he was marooned on the island between 1792 and 1795. Péron's {{lang |fr |Memoires}}, in which he describes his experiences, were published in a limited edition, now an expensive collectors' item.[http://files.usgwarchives.org/hi/statewide/newspapers/importan57nnw.txt Statewide County HI Archives: News], USGenWeb Archives {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125080443/http://files.usgwarchives.org/hi/statewide/newspapers/importan57nnw.txt |date=November 25, 2012 }}[http://www.forumrarebooks.com/messages/item/84.html Forum Rare Books: In the news], Antiquariaat Forum {{dead link|date=September 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite book| author = Péron (captain)| title = Mémoires du capitaine Péron sur ses voyages aux côtes d'Afrique, en Arabie, à l'île d'Amsterdam, aux îles d'Anjouan et de Mayotte, aux côtes nord-ouest de l'Amérique, aux îles Sandwich, à la Chine, etc| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-QMOAAAAYAAJ| year = 1824| publisher = Brissot-Thivars }} However, {{lang |fr |Île Amsterdam}} and {{lang |fr |Île Saint-Paul}} were often confused at the time, and Péron may have been marooned on Saint-Paul.

Amsterdam and St. Paul islands were recommended in 1786 for a convict settlement by Alexander Dalrymple, the Examiner of Sea-Journals for the East India Company, when the British government was considering New South Wales and Norfolk Island for such a settlement.Alexander Dalrymple, A Serious Admonition to the Publick on the Intended Thief Colony at Botany Bay, London, Sewell, October 1786. An investigation of those islands was subsequently undertaken in December 1792 and January 1793 by George Lord Macartney, Britain's first ambassador to China, during his voyage to that country, and he concluded that they were not suitable for settlement.Helen H. Robbins, Our First Ambassador to China, London, Murray, 1908, pp. 197–210.

Sealers are said to have landed on the island, for the first time, in 1789.{{cite book |editor-last=Headland |editor-first=R.K. |year=2018 |title=Historical Antarctic Sealing Industry |location=Cambridge |publisher=Scott Polar Research Institute }}{{ISBN missing|date=March 2025}}{{rp|166}} Between that date and 1876, 47 sealing vessels are recorded at the island, 9 of which were wrecked. Relics of the sealing era can still be found.{{rp|166}}

The island was a stop on the British Macartney Embassy on its voyage to China in 1793.{{cite book| title = Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age| year = 2018| publisher = Alfred A. Knopf| isbn = 978-0307961730 }}

On 11 October 1833, the British barque Lady Munro was wrecked at the island. Of the 97 persons aboard, 21 survivors were picked up two weeks later by a US sealing schooner, General Jackson.{{cite book| title = Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Sg49AAAAIAAJ| year = 1989| publisher = Cambridge University Press| isbn = 978-0-521-30903-5 }}

John Balleny in command of the exploration and sealing vessel {{ship||Eliza Scott|1830 ship|2}} visited the island in November 1838 in search of seals. He returned with a few fish and reported having seen the remains of a hut and the carcass of a whale.{{cite journal |last=Jones |first=A. G. E. |year=1986 |title=John Balleny and Amsterdam Island |journal=The Great Circle |volume=8 |issue=2, October 1986 |pages=73–77 |publisher=Australian Association for Maritime History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41562543 |access-date=2025-05-04 |jstor=41562553 }}{{rp|pp=73–74}}

The islands of {{lang |fr |Île Amsterdam}} and {{lang |fr |Île Saint-Paul}} were first claimed by France in June 1843. A decree of 8 June 1843 mandated the Polish captain Adam Mieroslawski to take into possession and administer in the name of France both islands. The decree as well as the ship's log from Olympe from 1 and 3 July 1843, stating that the islands had been taken into possession by Mieroslawski, are still preserved.{{Cite web |title=fonds geolhist |url=http://jubilotheque.upmc.fr/fonds-geolhist/GH_000472_001/document.pdf?name=GH_000472_001_pdf.pdf |website=jubilotheque.upmc.fr}}

However, the French government renounced its possession of the islands in 1853.{{cite book |last=Reppe |first=Xavier |title=Aurore sur l'Antarctique |publisher=Nouvelles Éditions Latines |year=1957 |page=32 }}

In January 1871 an attempt to settle the island was made by a party led by Heurtin, a French resident of Réunion. After seven months, their attempts to raise cattle and grow crops were fruitless, and they returned to Réunion, abandoning the cattle on the island.{{cite web |url=http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam_history_early.html |title=Amsterdam/St Paul: Discovery and early history |access-date=2011-04-25 |work=The South Atlantic and Subantarctic Islands |first=Paul |last=Carroll |date=2003-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023224934/http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam_history_early.html |archive-date=2012-10-23 }}

In May 1880 {{HMS|Raleigh|1873|6}} circumnavigated the island searching for missing ship Knowsley Hall. A cutter and gig were despatched to the island to search for signs of habitation. There was a flagpole on Hoskin Point and {{convert|50|-|70|yd|m|abbr=in|round=5|order=flip}} north were two huts, one of which had an intact roof and contained three bunks, empty casks, an iron pot and the eggshells and feathers of sea-birds. There was also an upturned serviceable boat in the other hut, believed to belong to the fishermen who visited the island.{{cite news|title=Editorial|work=The Cornishman|issue=109|date=12 August 1880|page=4}}

In 1892, the crew of the French sloop Bourdonnais, followed by the ship L'Eure in 1893, again took possession of Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Island in the name of the French government.

The island was attached to the French colony of Madagascar from 21 November 1924 until 6 August 1955 when the French Southern and Antarctic Lands was formed. (Madagascar gained independence in 1958.)

The first French base on {{lang |fr |Île Amsterdam}} was established in 1949, and was originally called {{lang |fr |Camp Heurtin}}. It is now the {{lang |fr |Martin-de-Viviès}} research station, named after Paul de Martin de Viviès who, with twenty-three others, spent the winter of 1949 on the island. The station was originally named Camp Heurtin and has been in operation since 1 January 1981, superseding the first station, {{lang |fr |La Roche Godon}}.

The Global Atmosphere Watch still maintains a presence on Île Amsterdam.

On 15 January 2025, a wildfire broke out on the island, forcing the evacuation of all 31 residents by boat to Réunion. Due to the island's remote location, the fire spread unchecked. By 10 February, 45% of the island's area had been affected, while water supply and telecommunications infrastructure at the {{lang |fr |Martin-de-Viviès}} research station was damaged.{{cite news |date=10 February 2025 |title=Almost half of remote French island hit by wildfire: official |work=France 24 |author-link=Agence France-Presse |author=AFP |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250210-almost-half-of-remote-french-island-hit-by-wildfire-official |access-date=2025-05-04 }}

From 1987 to 1998, there were frequent amateur radio operations from Amsterdam Island. There was a resident radio amateur operator in the 1950s, using callsign FB8ZZ.{{cite web

|title = FT5/Z – Amsterdam / St. Paul Islands and a Special Appeal

|url = http://dxccsleuth.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/ft5z-amsterdam-st-paul-islands-and-a-special-appeal/

|date = 2012-09-16

|author = R. M. Holoch

|work = The DXCC Sleuth

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140303170104/http://dxccsleuth.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/ft5z-amsterdam-st-paul-islands-and-a-special-appeal/

|archive-date = 2014-03-03

}}

In January 2014 Clublog listed Amsterdam and St Paul Islands as the seventh most-wanted DXCC entity.[http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php Clublog Most wanted list, updated Monthly] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031023950/http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php |date=October 31, 2013 }} On 25 January 2014 a DX-pedition landed on Amsterdam Island using MV Braveheart and began amateur radio operations from two separate locations using callsign FT5ZM. The DX-pedition remained active until 12 February and achieved over 170,000 two-way contacts with amateur radio stations worldwide.

File:Wave cloud.jpg cloud formation, caused by lee waves from Île Amsterdam (lower left).|left]]

The island is a potentially active volcano. It has an area of {{convert|56.6|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}, measuring about {{convert|10|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} on its longest side, and reaches as high as {{convert|867|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} at the Mont de la Dives. The high central area of the island, at an elevation of over {{convert|500|m|ft}}, containing its peaks and caldera, is known as the {{lang |fr |Plateau des Tourbières}} ({{translation |Plateau of Bogs}}). The cliffs that characterise the western coastline of the island, rising to over {{convert|700|m|ft}}, are known as the Falaises d'Entrecasteaux after the 18th-century French navigator Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux.BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Falaises d'Entrecasteaux. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2012-01-08. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630122358/http://www.birdlife.org/ |date=June 30, 2007 }}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|frame-width=280|frame-height=360|frame-long=77.555|frame-lat=-37.838|zoom=12|raw=[{{Wikipedia:Map data/Boomerang Seamount}},{{Wikipedia:Map data/Fracture zone}}]

|text=Île Amsterdam vent, crater and caldera structures. Click on map to enlarge it where upon mouse over is enabled so selected structures can be identified. Zoom out accesses approximate surface projections of nearby submarine structures.}}

No historical eruptions are known, although the fresh morphology of the latest volcanism at Dumas Craters on the northeastern flank suggests it may have occurred as recently as the late 19th century.{{cite journal |last1=Nougier |first1=Jacques |title=Volcanism of St-Paul and Amsterdam islands; some aspects of volcanism along plate margins |journal=IIIth Symp. Antarct. Geol. Madison |date=1982 |pages=755–765}} All the rocks are tholeiitic basalt and the oldest basalt sampled is no more than 720,000 years old.{{cite journal|last1 =Doucet|first1 =S.|last2 =Weis|first2 =D.|last3 =Scoates|first3 =J.S.|last4 =Debaille|first4 =V. |last5 =Giret|first5 =A.|year =2004|title =Geochemical and Hf–Pb–Sr–Nd isotopic constraints on the origin of the Amsterdam–St. Paul (Indian Ocean) hotspot basalts|journal =Earth and Planetary Science Letters|volume =218|issue =1–2|pages =179–195|doi =10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00636-8|bibcode =2004E&PSL.218..179D}}{{rp|181}}

There are two stratovolcanoes being {{lang |fr |Mont De La Dives}} which dominates and is younger and Le Mount du Fernand. Vents manifest as either cones or craters include Cratere Antonelli, Le Brulot, Le Chaudron, Le Cyclope, Crateres Dumas, Le Forneau, Cratere Inferieur, Grande Marmite, Cratere Hebert, Museau De Tanche, Cratere de l'Olympe, Cratere Superieur, Crateres Venus, and Cratere Vulcain (see map on this page).

The island is located on the mainly undersea Amsterdam–Saint Paul Plateau which is of volcanic hotspot origin.{{cite journal|last1 =Bredow|first1 =E|last2 =Steinberger|first2 =B|title =Variable melt production rate of the Kerguelen hotspot due to long-term plume-ridge interaction|journal= Geophysical Research Letters|date =16 January 2018|volume =45|issue =1|pages =126–36|doi =10.1002/2017GL075822|doi-access =free|bibcode =2018GeoRL..45..126B|hdl =10852/70913|hdl-access =free}}{{rp|128}} There is a magma chamber located at between {{cvt|20|–|36|km}} depth below Amsterdam Island.{{cite journal|last1 =Kumar|first1 =P.|last2 =Singha|first2 =P.|last3 =Ghosal|first3 =D.|last4 =Jacob|first4 =J.|last5 =Gupta|first5 =S.|year =2023|title =Lithospheric architecture beneath the Amsterdam-St. Paul plateau, Southern Indian Ocean using the integrated gravity, magnetic and seismological study|journal =Tectonophysics|volume=863|page =229989|doi =10.1016/j.tecto.2023.229989|bibcode =2023Tectp.86329989K|url =https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00847/95889/}}{{rp|loc=7. Conclusions}} The plateau which extends north west towards the Nieuw Amsterdam Fracture Zone (Amsterdam Fracture Zone) and south to beyond the island of St Paul with its presently known active area being delimited by the St. Paul Fracture Zone,{{cite journal|last1 =Kumar|first1 =P.|last2 =Singha|first2 =P.|last3 =Ghosal|first3 =D.|last4 =Jacob|first4 =J.|last5 =Gupta|first5 =S.|year =2023|title =Lithospheric architecture beneath the Amsterdam-St. Paul plateau, Southern Indian Ocean using the integrated gravity, magnetic and seismological study|journal =Tectonophysics|volume=863|page =229989|doi =10.1016/j.tecto.2023.229989|bibcode =2023Tectp.86329989K|url =https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00847/95889/}}{{rp|loc=2. Regional tectonic setting}} is a {{cvt|250|by|200|km}} feature of the sea floor near the Southeast Indian Ridge, which is an active spreading center between the Antarctic plate that the island lies on, and the Australian Plate.{{rp|180}} Helium isotopic compositional studies are consistent with its formation from the combined effects of accretion at the mid-ocean ridge ridge and mantle plume activity of a hot spot.{{rp|180}} This is either the Kerguelen hotspot or a potentially separate Amsterdam-Saint Paul hotspot but resolution of this issue is complicated by the recent volcanism on the island due to it being adjacent to the Southeast Indian Ridge.{{cite journal|last1 =Nobre Silva|first1 =IG|last2 =Weis|first2 =D|last3 =Scoates|first3 =JS|last4 =Barling|first4 =J|title =The Ninetyeast Ridge and its relation to the Kerguelen, Amsterdam and St. Paul hotspots in the Indian Ocean|journal =Journal of Petrology|year =2013|volume =54|issue =6|pages =1177–210|doi =10.1093/petrology/egt009|doi-access =free}}{{rp|1177}}{{cite journal|last1 =Bredow|first1 =E|last2 =Steinberger|first2 =B|title =Variable melt production rate of the Kerguelen hotspot due to long-term plume-ridge interaction|journal= Geophysical Research Letters|date =16 January 2018|volume =45|issue =1|pages =126–36|doi =10.1002/2017GL075822|doi-access =free|bibcode =2018GeoRL..45..126B|hdl =10852/70913|hdl-access =free}}{{rp|128}} Recent authors have favoured a separate Amsterdam and St. Paul hotspot. There has been evidence at Boomerang Seamount to the north east of the island that Kerguelen-type source mantle exists beneath the Amsterdam and St. Paul Plateau.{{Cite journal| last1 = Johnson | first1 = K. T. M.| last2 = Graham| first2 = D. W.| last3 = Rubin | first3 = K. H.| last4 = Nicolaysen | first4 = K.| last5 = Scheirer | first5 = D. S.| last6 = Forsyth | first6 = D. W.| last7 = Baker | first7 = E. T.| last8 = Douglas-Priebe | first8 = L. M. | title = Boomerang Seamount: The active expression of the Amsterdam–St. Paul hotspot, Southeast Indian Ridge | year = 2000 | journal = Earth and Planetary Science Letters | volume = 183 | issue = 1 | pages = 245–259| url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236596598 | access-date = 24 September 2016 | doi=10.1016/s0012-821x(00)00279-x| bibcode = 2000E&PSL.183..245J}}{{rp|257}} Which ever hot spot is responsible is moving south as Île Amsterdam rocks are older than St. Paul rocks.{{rp|181}} The Amsterdam–St. Paul Plateau while formed in the last 10 million years, started this formation beneath the Australian Plate so the island is built on the components of two tectonic plates.{{cite journal|last1 =Kumar|first1 =P.|last2 =Singha|first2 =P.|last3 =Ghosal|first3 =D.|last4 =Jacob|first4 =J.|last5 =Gupta|first5 =S.|year =2023|title =Lithospheric architecture beneath the Amsterdam-St. Paul plateau, Southern Indian Ocean using the integrated gravity, magnetic and seismological study|journal =Tectonophysics|volume=863|page =229989|doi =10.1016/j.tecto.2023.229989|bibcode =2023Tectp.86329989K|url =https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00847/95889/}}{{rp|loc=6.3. Horizontal extent of the ASP plume magma supply, Fig. 6. Schematic diagram depicting interaction of the ASP plume and the SEIR since ~20 Ma in different stages}}

Île Amsterdam has a mild, oceanic climate, Cfb under the Köppen climate classification, with a mean annual temperature of {{convert|14|°C|°F|1}}, annual rainfall of {{convert|1100|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}, persistent westerly winds and high levels of humidity.[http://www.ndsu.edu/subantarctic/ile_amsterdam.htm Ile Amsterdam] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119140240/http://www.ndsu.edu/subantarctic/ile_amsterdam.htm |date=November 19, 2012 }} Under the Trewartha climate classification the island is well inside the maritime subtropical zone due to its very low diurnal temperature variation keeping means high.

{{Weather box

|location=Amsterdam Island (Martin-de-Vivies, 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1950–present)

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 26.1

|Feb record high C = 26.2

|Mar record high C = 24.8

|Apr record high C = 23.4

|May record high C = 21.0

|Jun record high C = 20.3

|Jul record high C = 18.2

|Aug record high C = 17.7

|Sep record high C = 23.9

|Oct record high C = 19.2

|Nov record high C = 22.4

|Dec record high C = 24.8

|year record high C = 26.2

|Jan high C = 20.6

|Feb high C = 20.9

|Mar high C = 20.0

|Apr high C = 18.1

|May high C = 16.2

|Jun high C = 14.6

|Jul high C = 13.8

|Aug high C = 13.6

|Sep high C = 14.3

|Oct high C = 15.0

|Nov high C = 16.6

|Dec high C = 19.0

|year high C = 16.9

|Jan mean C = 17.6

|Feb mean C = 17.9

|Mar mean C = 17.2

|Apr mean C = 15.7

|May mean C = 13.8

|Jun mean C = 12.3

|Jul mean C = 11.5

|Aug mean C = 11.3

|Sep mean C = 11.9

|Oct mean C = 12.5

|Nov mean C = 14.0

|Dec mean C = 16.1

|year mean C = 14.3

|Jan low C = 14.5

|Feb low C = 15.0

|Mar low C = 14.5

|Apr low C = 13.2

|May low C = 11.5

|Jun low C = 10.1

|Jul low C = 9.2

|Aug low C = 8.9

|Sep low C = 9.5

|Oct low C = 10.0

|Nov low C = 11.3

|Dec low C = 13.2

|year low C = 11.7

|Jan record low C = 6.1

|Feb record low C = 4.5

|Mar record low C = 6.0

|Apr record low C = 4.3

|May record low C = 3.8

|Jun record low C = 3.0

|Jul record low C = 1.8

|Aug record low C = 1.9

|Sep record low C = 2.1

|Oct record low C = 3.1

|Nov record low C = 4.7

|Dec record low C = 1.7

|year record low C = 1.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 68.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 62.7

|Mar precipitation mm = 100.0

|Apr precipitation mm = 93.3

|May precipitation mm = 121.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 114.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 112.1

|Aug precipitation mm = 87.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 74.8

|Oct precipitation mm = 75.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 77.0

|Dec precipitation mm = 70.0

|year precipitation mm = 1058.0

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 9.3

|Feb precipitation days = 9.1

|Mar precipitation days = 11.1

|Apr precipitation days = 12.4

|May precipitation days = 16.8

|Jun precipitation days = 17.9

|Jul precipitation days = 18.3

|Aug precipitation days = 16.9

|Sep precipitation days = 14.7

|Oct precipitation days = 13.8

|Nov precipitation days = 11.7

|Dec precipitation days = 10.1

|year precipitation days = 161.9

| Jan dew point C =13

| Feb dew point C =13

| Mar dew point C =13

| Apr dew point C =11

| May dew point C =10

| Jun dew point C =8

| Jul dew point C =8

| Aug dew point C =7

| Sep dew point C =6

| Oct dew point C =7

| Nov dew point C =9

| Dec dew point C =11

|Jan sun = 177

|Feb sun = 145

|Mar sun = 134

|Apr sun = 110

|May sun = 107

|Jun sun = 99

|Jul sun = 104

|Aug sun = 121

|Sep sun = 123

|Oct sun = 141

|Nov sun = 150

|Dec sun = 170

|year sun = 1581

|source 1= Météo France{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180226061411/https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98404002.pdf

| archive-date = February 26, 2018

| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98404002.pdf

| title = Nouvelle Amsterdam (984)

| work = Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1981–2010 et records

| publisher = Meteo France

| language = fr

| access-date = February 26, 2018}}

|source 2 = NOAA (sun 1961–1990),{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-I/F1/61996.TXT

| title = Climate Normals for Martin de Vivies 1961–1990

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = February 28, 2013}} Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)

{{cite web

| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=29

| title = Station Martin de Vivies

| publisher = Meteo Climat

| language = fr

| access-date = November 5, 2017}} Time and Date (dewpoints 2005–2015){{cite web

|url = https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/france/martin-de-vivies-amsterdam-island/climate

|title = Climate & Weather Averages in Amsterdam Island, French Southern Territories

|publisher = Time and Date

|access-date = 9 January 2022}}

|date=December 2011

}}

{{Further|Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands temperate grasslands}}

File:Phylica arborea.JPG

Phylica arborea trees occur on Amsterdam, which is the only place where they form a low forest, although the trees are also found on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. It was called the Great Forest ({{lang |fr |Grand Bois}}), which covered the lowlands of the island until forest fires set by sealers cleared much of it in 1825. Only eight fragments remain.{{contradictory inline |article=Plateau des Tourbières |section=environment |reason=The lower-lying areas have apparently become "replaced by exotic grassland", and no mention is made of woodland on the plateau either. So where are they? |date=April 2025}} Sailors from {{HMS|Raleigh}}, who visited the island on 27 May 1880, described the vegetation as:

{{blockquote |text=Rough ground, grass several feet high, myrtle {{convert|10|-|15|ft|m|0|disp=sqbr}} high in sheltered ravines, sedge, ferns (principally polypodium) and cabbages, grown into bushes with stumps several inches thick in the garden [...]. }}

File:AmsterdamIsl Map.png

The island is home to the endemic Amsterdam albatross, which breeds only on the Plateau des Tourbières. Other rare species are the brown skua, Antarctic tern and western rockhopper penguin. The Amsterdam duck is now extinct, as are the local breeding populations of several petrels. There was once possibly a species of rail inhabiting the island, as a specimen was taken in the 1790s (which has been lost), but this was either extinct by 1800 or was a straggler of an extant species. The common waxbill has been introduced.[http://jygeorges.free.fr/english/ams04b.html Amsterdam Island – Introduced fauna] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511084345/http://jygeorges.free.fr/english/ams04b.html |date=May 11, 2013 }} Both the Plateau des Tourbières and Falaises d'Entrecasteaux have been identified as Important Bird Areas by BirdLife International, the latter for its large breeding colony of Indian yellow-nosed albatrosses.

There are no native land mammals. Subantarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals breed on the island. Introduced mammals include the house mouse, brown rat and feral cats. An eradication campaign of these invasive species was started in 2023, which plans to eradicate all cats and rats from the island by late 2024.{{cite web |url= https://www.liberation.fr/environnement/biodiversite/epandage-pieges-et-tirs-sur-lile-damsterdam-pour-eradiquer-les-chats-et-les-rongeurs-20230110_7SGQPNW2KVALDI7KA6NI7OLWFY/|title=Epandage, pièges et tirs sur l'île d'Amsterdam pour éradiquer les chats et les rongeurs}}

A distinct breed of wild cattle, Amsterdam Island cattle, also inhabited the island from 1871 to 2010. They originated from the introduction of five animals by Heurtin during his brief attempt at settlement of the island in 1871 and by 1988 had increased to an estimated 2,000. Following recognition that the cattle were damaging the island ecosystems, a fence was built restricting them to the northern part of the island.Micol, T. & Jouventin, P. (1995). Restoration of Amsterdam Island, South Indian Ocean, following control of feral cattle. Biological Conservation 73(3): 199–206.[http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3635519 Restoration of Amsterdam Island, South Indian Ocean, following control of feral cattle] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203509/http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3635519 |date=February 1, 2014 }} In 2007 it was decided to eradicate the population of cattle entirely, resulting in the slaughter of the cattle between 2008 and 2010.Sophie Lautier: "Sur l'île Amsterdam, chlorophylle et miaulements".

• List of volcanoes in French Southern and Antarctic Lands
• French overseas departments and territories
• Administrative divisions of France
• List of French islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans

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• {{cite book| last = Péron| first = Pierre François| title = Mémoires du Capitaine Péron, sur ses Voyages aux Côtes d'Afrique, en Arabie, a l'Île d'Amsterdam, aux Îles d'Anjouan et de Mayotte, aux Côtes Nord-Oeust de l'Amérique, aux Îles Sandwich, a la Chine, etc.| year = 1824| location = Paris| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yhJOAAAAcAAJ}}
• {{cite book| last = Cleef| first = Alfred van| title = The Lost Island| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-8050-7225-9| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/lostislandalonea00clee}}

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• {{cite gvp| vn =234001 | name = Amsterdam Island}}
• [http://www.farvoyager.com/siov/amst1.html Ile Amsterdam visit] (photos from a tourist's recent visit)
• [http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/St-Paul_Amsterdam.shtml French Colonies – Saint-Paul & Amsterdam Islands], Discover France
• [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/french-southern-and-antarctic-lands/ French Southern and Antarctic Lands] at the CIA World Factbook
• {{cite web|url=http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam.html |title=South Atlantic & Subantarctic Islands site, Amsterdam Island page |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110211301/http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/amsterdam/amsterdam.html |archive-date=2010-01-10 |url-status=dead }}
• [http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/antipode Antipodes of the US]

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{{French overseas departments and territories}}

{{Outlying territories of European countries}}

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Amsterdam

Category:Volcanoes of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Category:Dormant volcanoes

Category:Seal hunting