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
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 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
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

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, hydropower

Land use
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 95% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 10,900 sq km (1998 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, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Madagascar Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Madagascar Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.