Location: | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
| Geographic coordinates: | 20 17 S, 57 33 E |
| Map references: | Political Map of the World |
| Area: | total: 2,040 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 177 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 47.78% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 200 sq km (2000 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
Source: CIA World Factbook
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