Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km

Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 4,828 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish

Land use
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 40%
other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 10,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geography - note world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

NOTE: The information regarding Madagascar on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Madagascar Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Madagascar Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.