Clipperton Island is a small, uninhabited coral atoll located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southwest of Mexico. The island is an overseas possession of France and is considered a French territory. It covers an area of just over 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles) and has no permanent residents.

The island was discovered by Europeans in 1711 and was named after a French pirate, Michel Clipperton. It was later claimed by France in 1855 and used as a base for guano mining and fishing activities. The island was also briefly occupied by the United States during World War II as a means of monitoring Japanese activity in the Pacific.

Clipperton Island is mostly barren, with no sources of fresh water or vegetation. The island is surrounded by coral reefs that make navigation difficult, and the atoll is subject to periodic storms and hurricanes. Despite its inhospitable environment, the island is home to a variety of seabirds and other marine life, making it a popular destination for scientific research and ecotourism.

In recent years, there has been some concern over illegal fishing in the waters around Clipperton Island, as well as the impact of climate change on the island's fragile ecosystem. France has taken steps to protect the island's biodiversity, and it is currently listed as a nature reserve.