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Maldives Geography 1996

Location:

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total area:

300 sq km

land area:

300 sq km

comparative area:

slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

644 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:

35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India

territorial sea:

12 nm

International disputes:

none

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:

flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land:

10%

permanent crops:

meadows and pastures:

forest and woodland:

other:

84%

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

Environment:

current issues:

depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies

natural hazards:

low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

international agreements:

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note:

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

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