Location:
Southern 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
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.2 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:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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) (1998 est.)
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
NOTE: The information regarding Bassas da India on this page is re-published from the 2003 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guinea Geography 2003 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bassas da India Geography 2003 should be addressed to the CIA.
