nal: boundaries with Bangladesh and China in
dispute; status of Kashmir with Pakistan; water-sharing problems with
downstream riparian Pakistan over the Indus (Wular Barrage);
Bangladesh and India signed a treaty 12 December 1996 to share water
from the Ganges

Illicit drugs: world's largest licit producer of opium for the
pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is
diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit country
for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit
producer of hashish and methaqualone; produced 47 metric tons of
illicit opium in 1996
______________________________________________________________________

INDIAN OCEAN
[Map of Indian Ocean]

@Indian Ocean:Geography

Location: body of water between Africa, Antarctica, Asia, and
Australia

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references: World

Area:
total : 73.6 million sq km
note: includes Arabian Sea, Bass Straight, Bay of Bengal, Great
Australian Bight, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of
Malacca, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: slightly less than eight times the size of the US;
third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but
larger than the Arctic Ocean)

Coastline: 66,526 km

Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon
(June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in
the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular
system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air
results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and
currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and
subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean
Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
south near An