Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references:
World
Area:
total: 2,517 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
207 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical, but temperature 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