Glorioso Islands Geography Profile 2006

Location

Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates

11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Area - comparative

about eight times 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

low and flat

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources

guano, coconuts

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2005)

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Natural hazards

periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues

NA

Geography - note

the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system