Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from
May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: 20% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 39% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: periodic devastating cyclones
Note: located 750 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean