6. Comoros
The crystal clear waters of Comoros.
Comoros is one of the six island nations of the Indian Ocean. The country is located off East Africa, between Madagascar and Mozambique, at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. The island nation of Seychelles is located northeast of the Comoros. Mainland Tanzania is located in the northwest of the country. With an area of 2,034 km2, Comoros is the third smallest nation in Africa. The three main islands of the Comoros archipelago are Mwali, Nzwani and Ngazidja.
5. Madagascar
The landscape near Diego Suarez, Madagascar.
Fourth island in the world, Madagascar is a sovereign island located in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius, the Comoros and the French territory of Réunion are the neighboring islands of Madagascar. The African country of Mozambique is the closest continental nation to Madagascar. The country occupies an area of 592,800 square km. A few years ago, Madagascar separated from the Indian plate in about 88. Thus, the flora and fauna of the nation developed independently and today the country has high levels of endemism .
4. Maldives
A hawksbill turtle floats in the coral reef waters of the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.
The South Asian nation of the Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean. The country is located in the southwest of Sri Lanka and India. The Maldives archipelago covers an area of approximately X square kilometers, including 298 atolls which extend from the city of Addu in the south to Ihavandhippolhu atoll in the north. It is the smallest country in Asia by its size and one of the most widely distributed territories in the world. The Maldives atolls are made up of sand bars and coral reefs formed at the top of an underwater ridge that rises sharply from the ocean.
3. Mauritius
The landscape of Mauritius
Mauritius is another sovereign island nation in the Indian Ocean. The country has a total area of 2,040 km2. The country includes the main island of Mauritius and several remote islands of various sizes, of which Rodrigues is the second largest with an area of 108 km2. This island is located approximately 560 km east of the main island. The Agalega Islands are twin islands located 1,000 km north of Mauritius. An archipelago, the Saint Brandon, is located northeast of the main island. The tropical island has a multiethnic and multicultural population as well as a diversity of flora and fauna, including many endemic species. Mauritius is surrounded by long white sand beaches, lagoons and coral reefs. The
2. Seychelles
St. Pierre Island, Seychelles.
The Seychelles archipelago, an island nation comprising of 115 islands, is located in the Indian Ocean. The country is approximately 1,500 km off the coast of continental East Africa. The other nearby political entities are Madagascar, Mauritius, the Comoros and two regions of France: Mayotte and Reunion. Seychelles, a country with only a population of around 92,000, is part of the African Union. It is a popular tourist destination because of its sunny tropical climate, its beautiful beaches, its unique culture and its many green spaces. Many uninhabited islands in Seychelles are designated as nature reserves.
1. Sri Lanka
A typical beach in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a sovereign state in the Indian Ocean. The country is part of the South Asia region. The island nation shares its maritime borders with the Maldives and India. The first is located in the southwest of the country and the second in the northwest of the country. Sri Lanka has been inhabited for about 125,000 years. Sri Lanka’s geographic position and deep ports have always attracted explorers and world powers with political and economic ambitions in Sri Lanka from the Silk Road trade until the Second World War. The Sinhalese are the main ethnic group in Sri Lanka. Tamils, Malays, Kaffirs and Bourgeois are among the country’s minority ethnic groups.