Geography of Mozambique
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and TanzaniaGeographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
801,590 kmē
land:
784,090 kmē
water:
17,500 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total:
4,571 km
border countries:
Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline: 2,470 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate: tropical to subtropical
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Land use:
arable land:
3.98 (1998 est.), 4% (1993 est.)
permanent crops:
0.29% (1998 est.), 0% (1993 est.)
permanent pastures:
56% (1993 est.)
forests and woodland:
18% (1993 est.)
other:
95.73 (1998 est.), 22% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,180 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces
Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
- See also : Mozambique
