Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
15 52 S, 54 25 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3.7 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones;
wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)