Seychelles Geography 1997

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
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 (lateMay to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others arecoral, 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: NA%
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 droughtspossible

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

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

Geography - note 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

NOTE: The information regarding Seychelles on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Seychelles Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Seychelles Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.