Short facts about the geography of Mauritius

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:

World

Area:

total:  1,860 sq km land:  1,850 sq km water:  10 sq km note:  includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative:

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

177 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 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% permanent crops:  3% permanent pastures:  3% forests and woodland:  22% other:  23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

170 sq km (1993 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Source: World Factbook