Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
455 sq km
land:
455 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
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%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
11%
other:
74% (1993 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 rain water
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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands