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Location: |
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar |
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Geographic coordinates: |
4 35 S, 55 40 E |
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Map references: |
Africa |
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Area: |
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Coastline: |
491 km |
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Climate: |
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) |
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Terrain: |
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
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Natural resources: |
fish, copra, cinnamon trees |
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Land use: |
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (2001) |
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Natural hazards: |
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible |
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Environment - current issues: |
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands |
