What strait separates the island of Madagascar from Africa?Mozambique, of course!This strait is considered the longest in the world, with a very warm, which promotes the formation of hot air masses over the island and the regions of Africa that are adjacent to it.Madagascar Climatic conditions range from arid to humid equatorial rain.Natural areas that are found here - this desert and savannah, and evergreen jungle.We now consider in detail what strait separates the island of Madagascar from Africa than it is remarkable, and the effect on the land that are adjacent to it.
General information about Strait
These waters are located in the western part of the Indian Ocean washes the shores of East Africa and Madagascar.In the upper part of the strait are Comoros, consisting of land of volcanic origin.Many of them are "completed" corals, the smallest are all uninhabited.Slowness of the strait is already 1760 km, and the width varies between 1250 - 422 kilometers.The deepest point of Mozambique is located 4250 meters from the surface of the water, but in most parts of its depth reaches 2,000 meters.The salinity of the water is about 36%.
History of
Sarcastically speaking, about what strait separates the island of Madagascar from Africa even know the dinosaurs, not the planet lived in the Jurassic period.Approximately 165 million years ago from the Gondwana supercontinent, which existed for one of the theories in a place where Africa is now, split plot of land, which moved into the ocean and became the island of Madagascar.Thus, it is in place for more than 100 million. Years.And most importantly - do not move.Depression, which separates this piece of land, began to form at the junction of two periods - Jurassic and Cretaceous, and gradually filled with salt water.At the same time separated from the rest of Gondwana continents - Africa became an independent, stand out features of the Indian subcontinent, "went" far to the east of Australia.All this happened about 70 mln. Years ago.But while the Mozambique Channel there is already 60 mln. Years.
weather and climate
To understand how strait separates Madagascar from Africa - cold or warm, we consider its climatic features.Most of the winds - the trade winds, came here from the African continent.Strait lies in subequatorial and tropical band because of him sweep both dry and wet wind.From the East blows his South Indian anticyclone, which brings cooler air.The rains here begin in November and end in March, and rainfall is about 2000 mm per year.The temperature does not change with the seasons and is about 25-28 degrees.Before the same indicators and warmed surface waters of Mozambique.
Adjacent coast - the island of Madagascar, Africa.Description of the nature of regions
Mozambique coast is washed by two large: it is the same name with a country that is in Africa and the island of Madagascar, where there is also an autonomous state.Both geographic objects lie in a humid sub-equatorial zone and in the tropics, and because the nature here is diverse.The shores of Madagascar covered by evergreen tropical jungle, the climate is very humid and hot.Above this area is formed by the maximum amount of precipitation - 3000 mm which falls mainly in the winter.The inland forests turn into savanna and desert.Here, as on the continent are found the typical African animals: giraffes, zebras, elephants.The situation in Mozambique is about the same.Coastal tropical undergrowth turn into desert areas that are blown by the trade winds and are characterized by tropical storms.
Relief and the coast of Madagascar
Island, otdelennny Mazambikskim Strait from Africa, has varied terrain.In the northern part of the coastline is indented cliffs.Beach here rocky, steep, very often swamp.North-west of Madagascar is characterized by quiet coves where the rocks stretch for dozens of miles.Water is then warmed to a maximum at any time of the year.The southern part of the island is best suited for a beach holiday - then traced steppes and plains sloping entrance to the sea.On the island there are mountains - Ankaratra.Height that they achieve equal to 2500 m and more.Among the mountains there are extinct volcanoes, which, however, are still the cause of earthquakes.
Residents of coastal areas of the Strait of Mozambique
As the main continent - Africa - Madagascar populated predominantly Negroid race, mulattos, mestizos and Indians in rare cases.But here we should mention that the State of Mozambique people settled much earlier than on the island.They are characterized by great commitment to African traditions and religions.Also among them Negritos much more radical than that of the inhabitants of Madagascar.On the same island mentality represented by different cultures, ranging from the typical African, South Asian finishing.
Summary
We briefly discussed how strait separates the island of Madagascar from Africa.We learn how climate it is typical when formed and what are its characteristics.We also visited the island of Madagascar where the climate, population, terrain, and much more.It was possible to determine that in many states of Mozambique and Madagascar are similar, but at the same time differences, especially for local residents play a very important role.
