Mauritius Geography:
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
2,040 sq km
land:
2,030 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:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
Coastline:
177 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 47.78%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
200 sq km (2000 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
The main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs |
