Location Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates 4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 455 sq km

Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 491 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 13%
other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land NA sq km

Natural hazards lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Environment - current issues water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

NOTE: The information regarding Seychelles on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Seychelles Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Seychelles Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.