Mozambique Channel
Arm of the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mozambique.
The Mozambique Channel is an arm of the Indian Ocean situated between the Southeast African countries of Madagascar and Mozambique.
- location
- Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Mozambique
- current
- Mozambique Current (warm, southward)
- tanker_traffic
- carries approximately 30% of the world's tanker traffic
Lore & Background
The St. Lazarus Banks, a seamount rising from about 2,000 m to 12 m depth, are known for marine biodiversity and deep-sea fishing.
Reader's Guide
The Mozambique Channel has historical and strategic significance. During World War II, the channel was a clashpoint in the 1942 Battle of Madagascar.
Did You Know?
- The warm Mozambique Current flows southward into the Agulhas Current off the east coast of Southern Africa.
- The channel carries about 30% of global tanker traffic.
- The St. Lazarus Banks in the channel rise from about 2,000 m to just 12 m depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mozambique Channel?
It is a stretch of the Indian Ocean wedged between Madagascar to the west and Mozambique to the east, running roughly 1,700 km from north to south.
What are Mozambique Channel's powers/role?
The channel funnels the warm Mozambique Current southward until it feeds into the Agulhas Current along South Africa's eastern seaboard. It also serves as a major shipping corridor, carrying about 30 percent of the world's tanker traffic.
How does Mozambique Channel's story end?
At its southern boundary the waters open into the broader Agulhas Bank region, where the Mozambique Current merges with the southward-flowing Agulhas Current off the coast of Southern Africa.
Why is Mozambique Channel important?
With a narrowest width of only about 419 km, it acts as a natural maritime chokepoint that concentrates a large share of global oil and cargo shipping. The warm current it hosts also helps redistribute heat energy across the Southern Hemisphere.
What are Mozambique Channel's key dimensions?
The channel stretches approximately 1,700 km in length and reaches a maximum depth of 3,292 m, while its tightest point between the two landmasses measures around 419 km across.
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