| Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique |
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| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E |
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| Zone | Africa |
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| Area | total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km |
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| Land boundaries | 0 km |
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| Coastline | 4,828 km |
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| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath |
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| Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south |
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| Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center |
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| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
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| Natural resources | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower |
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| Irrigated land | 4,828 km |
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| Natural hazards | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation |
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Environment -
current issues | 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 |
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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 |
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| Geography - note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel |
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