Which channel lies between Madagascar and Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean?

The Mozambique Channel lies between Madagascar and Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean.

It is a broad ocean channel rather than a narrow strait, measuring about 1,600 kilometres from north to south. Its width varies considerably, reaching roughly 400 to 1,000 kilometres in different areas.

The channel carries warm currents southward and contains important marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves and habitats for whales, turtles and seabirds. Tropical cyclones also affect the region, particularly during the Southern Hemisphere summer.

The northern entrance opens toward the Comoros region, while the southern end joins the wider Indian Ocean. The name refers to Mozambique on the African mainland, not to a separate country or island called Mozambique.