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Location:
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Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
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Geographic coordinates:
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20 17 S, 57 33 E
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Map references:
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Political Map of the World
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Area:
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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
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Area - comparative:
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almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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177 km
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
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Climate:
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tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
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Terrain:
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small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
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Natural resources:
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arable land, fish
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Land use:
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arable land: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 47.78% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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200 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
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