Bassas da India Geography
LocationSouthern 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
Area
total: 0.2 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 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
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) (2001)
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
Geography - note
the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano
