Madagascar: Geography#
| Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique |
|---|---|
| Geographic Coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E -20.0,47.0 |
| Area | total: 587,041 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,501 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 4,828 km |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
| Highest Mountains | According to Wolfram: Maromokotro 2876 m According to Geonames:Maromokotro 2876 m; andranofito 1752 m; Vohimanga 1038 m List verified partially Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center |
| Natural Hazards | periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times |
| Natural Resource | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower |
| Land Use | arable land: 5.96% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.02% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south |
| Irrigated Land | 10,860 sq km (2003) |
| Renewable Water Resources | 337 cu km (2011) |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Large Cities | Antananarivo; Toamasina; Antsirabe; Fianarantsoa; Mahajanga [Verified] Important Cities |
| Geography-note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel |