Mozambique Geography:
Location:
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
801,590 sq km
land:
784,090 sq km
water:
17,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1231 km
Coastline:
2,470 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Tropical to subtropical
Terrain:
Mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources:
Coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Land use:
arable land: 5.1%
permanent crops: 0.3%
other: 94.6%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces
Environment - current issues:
A long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
The Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country |
