Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
587,041 sq km
country comparison to the world: 47
land:
581,540 sq km
water:
5,501 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
4,828 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
More Climate Details
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Maromokotro 2,876 m
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
arable land:
5.96%
permanent crops:
1.02%
other:
93.02% (2011)
10,860 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
337 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
16.5 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)
per capita:
1,010 cu m/yr (2005)
periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
volcanism:
Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel