Bassas da India Geography - 2004

Location:
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
35.2 km

Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
volcanic rock

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources:
none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
NA