Malawi
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
most prominent physical feature
Malaysia
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
South China Sea
Maldives
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Mali
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan
Malta
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
exploration
Man, Isle of
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the
southwest, and is a bird sanctuary
Marshall Islands
two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and
1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
missile test range
Martinique
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May
1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre,
killing 30,000 inhabitants
Mauritania
most of the population concentrated in the cities of
Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
southern part of the country
Mauritius
the main island, from which the country derives its name,
is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
reefs