| Location: |
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
20 17 S, 57 33 E
|
| Area: |
total:
1,860 sq km
land:
1,850 sq km
water:
10 sq km
note:
includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
|
| Area - comparative: |
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
|
| Maritime claims: |
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
|
| Climate: |
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
|
| Terrain: |
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mont Piton 828 m
|
| Natural resources: |
arable land, fish
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
49%
permanent crops:
3%
permanent pastures:
3%
forests and woodland:
22%
other:
23% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
170 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
|
| Environment - current issues: |
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
|
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