Mozambique Channel

The Mozambique Channel is a part of the Indian Ocean. Its between the Somali Sea to the north, the island nation of Madagascar in the east, and Mozambique in the west.  It was the place of the World War II Battle of Madagascar. The channel is about 460 km across at its narrowest point between Angoche, Mozambique, and Tambohorano, Madagascar. The channel reaches a depth of 3,292 m (10,800 feet) about 230 km off the coast of Mozambique. 

Islands in the channel
Comoros
Grande Comore
Mohéli
Anjouan

France
Mayotte
Banc du Geyser
Glorioso Islands
Juan de Nova Island
Europa Island
Bassas da India

Mozambique
Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago
 French presence in the Mozambique Channel 

France is present through Mayotte and the Scattered Islands, and maintains a military presence via Réunion, with naval assets patrolling fairly regularly. These islets provide exclusive economic zones (EEZs), rich in fisheries resources and potentially hydrocarbons. For France, the real challenge is to preserve its sovereignty over Mayotte, vis-à-vis the Comoros, and especially over the Scattered Islands, in the face of Malagasy threats. The Malagasy are legally contesting the French presence, believing that these islets were dependencies of Madagascar and that once independence was achieved, they should have reverted to Madagascar, not to France.

Other websites

Category:Indian Ocean
Category:Straits
Category:Geography of Mozambique
Category:Geography of Madagascar