Kerguelen is an overseas department of the French Republic. Located off the coast of Antarctica, Kerguelen consists of several islands in the Southern Ocean (including the islands of Amsterdam, Crozet, Kerguelen, and Saint Paul). The islands were discovered during the Age of Exploration and organized into a French colony in the late 18th century. The islands played a key role for the Free French Forces during World War II. Since Kerguelen is a direct part of France, the islands mark the southernmost point of the European Union and the Eurozone.