| Location |
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique |
| Geographic coordinates |
12 10 S, 44 15 E |
| Map references |
africa |
| Area |
total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km |
| Area comparative |
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries |
0 km |
| Coastline |
340 km |
| Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate |
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) |
| Terrain |
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills |
| Elevation extremes |
lowest point: indian ocean 0 m
highest point: le kartala 2,360 m |
| Natural resources |
NEGL |
| Land use |
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2001) |
| Irrigated land |
NA sq km |
| Natural hazards |
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano |
| Environment - current issues |
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation |
| Environment - international agreements |
party to: biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography note |
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel |