| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Geographic coordinates: |
10 30 S, 105 40 E |
| Map references: |
Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
138.9 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
| Terrain: |
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Natural resources: |
phosphate, beaches |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| Natural hazards: |
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Environment - current issues: |
loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining |
| Geography - note: |
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
