Geography of Seychelles

Seychelles is a small island country east of the African continent located in the Sea of Zanj due north of Madagascar, with Antsiranana as its nearest foreign city.<ref>Werema, Gilbert. "Safeguarding Tourism and Tuna: Seychelles’ Fight against the Somali Piracy Problem." (2012).</ref> Seychelles lies between approximately 4ºS and 10ºS and 46ºE and 54ºE. The nation is an archipelago of 155 tropical islands, some granite and some coral, the majority of which are small and uninhabited. The landmass is only Template:Convert but the islands are spread wide over an exclusive economic zone of Template:Convert. About 90 percent of the population of 100,000 live on Mahé, 9 percent on Praslin and La Digue. Around a third of the land area is the island of Mahé and a further third the atoll of Aldabra.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

There are two distinct regions, the granitic islands, the world's only oceanic islands of granitic rock and the coralline outer islands. The granite islands are the world's oldest ocean islands, while the outer islands are mainly very young, though the Aldabra group and St Pierre (Farquhar Group) are unusual, raised coral islands that have emerged and submerged several times during their long history, the most recent submergence dating from about 125,000 years ago<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Physical features

The archipelago consists of 155 islands and thirty prominent rock formations scattered throughout a self-proclaimed exclusive economic zone of more than Template:Convert of ocean.<ref name=":0" /> Some forty islands are granitic and lie in a Template:Convert radius from Mahé, the main island.<ref name=":0" /> The remaining islands are coralline, stretching over a Template:Convert radius from Ile Aux Vaches in the northeast to the Aldabra Atoll in the southwest.<ref name=":0" /> The country's Inner Islands are the granitic islands plus two nearby coralline islands, Bird Island and Denis Island.Template:Fact The remaining coralline islands are the Outer Islands.Template:Fact The islands are all small—the aggregate land area is only Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Mahé is Template:Convert long and no more than Template:Convert wide,<ref name=":0" /> with an area of Template:Convert.Template:Fact It contains the capital and only city, Victoria, an excellent port.<ref name=":0" /> Victoria lies approximately Template:Convert east of Mombasa, Kenya; Template:Convert southwest of Mumbai; Template:Convert north of Mauritius; and Template:Convert northeast of Madagascar.<ref name=":0" /> The only other important islands by virtue of their size and population are Praslin and La Digue, situated about thirty kilometers to the northeast of Mahé.<ref name=":0" />

The granitic islands are founded on a fragment separated from the Indian continental plate during the Palaeocene about 66 million years ago during the break up of the supercontinent of Gondwana. This break-up was associated with the volcanic activity that built the Mascarene Plateau.<ref name="Mart, Y 1988, Pp. 261-274">Mart, Y. The tectonic setting of the Seychelles, Mascarene and Amirante plateaus in the western equatorial Indian Ocean, Marine Geology Vol. 79, Issues 3–4, March 1988, Pp. 261-274</ref> These granitic islands are characterized by boulder-covered hills and mountains as high as Template:Convert rising abruptly from the sea.<ref name=":0" /> Elsewhere, narrow coastal plains extend to the base of the foothills.<ref name=":0" /> Extensively developed coral reefs are found mainly on the east coasts because of the southwest trade winds and equatorial current. Ninety-nine percent of the population is located on the granitic islands, and most are on Mahé.<ref name=":0" />

The coralline islands differ sharply from the granitic in that they are very flat, often rising only a few feet (one meter) above sea level. They have no fresh water, and very few have a resident population.<ref name=":0" /> Many, like Ile aux Vaches, Ile Denis, the Amirante Isles, Platte Island, and Coetivy Island, are sand cays upon which extensive coconut plantations have been established.<ref name=":0" /> Some of the coralline islands consist of uplifted reefs and atolls covered with stunted vegetation.<ref name=":0" /> Several of these islands have been important breeding grounds for turtles and birds, as well as the sites of extensive guano deposits, which formerly constituted an important element of the Seychellois economy but now for the most part are depleted.<ref name=":0" /> The Aldabra Islands, the largest coralline atoll with an area greater than Mahe, are a sanctuary for rare animals and birds.<ref name=":0" />

The five groups of coralline islands that make up the Outer Islands are Southern Coral Group (a collective term for Île Platte and Coëtivy Island), Amirante Islands, Alphonse Group (Alphonse Atoll and St. François Atoll), Aldabra Group (Aldabra Atoll, Assumption Island, and the Cosmoledo Group, consisting of Cosmoledo Atoll and Astove Island), and Farquhar Group (Farquhar Atoll, Providence Atoll and St. Pierre Island).<ref name="Skerrett A., Payet M., Pool, T., Skerrett, J. and Mortimer, J. A. 2018">Template:Cite book</ref>

Geology

The Seychelles Bank is founded on a granite basement, a fragment separated from the Indian continental plate during the Palaeocene about 66 million years ago. This break-up was associated with the volcanic activity that built the Mascarene Plateau. The occurrence of syenite, diorite and microgranite in the western part of the Seychelles Bank could indicate that crustal deposit across the northwestern Indian Ocean Ridge apparently drove the Seychelles block southwestwards, causing it to collide with the northeastern edge of the Mascarene Basin. This collision could have led to the development of the Amirante Trough.<ref name="Mart, Y 1988, Pp. 261-274"/> This rift formation is associated with the Réunion hotspot which is also responsible for Réunion Island and the Deccan Traps in India. Because of its long isolation, the Seychelles hosts several unique species including the coco de mer, a palm which has the largest seeds of any plant and the world's largest population of giant tortoises.Template:Fact

Climate

The climate of Seychelles is tropical, having little seasonal variation.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Temperatures on Mahe rarely rise above Template:Convert or drop below Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> Humidity is high, but its enervating effect is usually ameliorated by prevailing winds.<ref name=":0" /> The southeast monsoon from late May to September brings cooler weather, and the northwest monsoon from March to May, warmer weather.<ref name=":0" />

High winds are rare inasmuch as most islands lie outside the Indian Ocean cyclone belt; Mahe suffered the only such storm in its recorded history in 1862.<ref name=":0" /> Mean annual rainfall in Mahe averages Template:Convert at sea level and as much as Template:Convert on the mountain slopes.<ref name=":0" /> Precipitation is somewhat less on the other islands, averaging as low as Template:Convert per year on the southernmost coral islands.<ref name=":0" />

Because catchment provides most sources of water in Seychelles, yearly variations in rainfall or even brief periods of drought can produce water shortages.<ref name=":0" /> Small dams have been built on Mahe since 1969 in an effort to guarantee a reliable water supply, but drought can still be a problem on Mahe and particularly on La Digue.<ref name=":0" />

Flora and fauna

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File:Seychelles 019.JPG

The Island Mahé

File:Anse Source d'Argent 2-La Digue.jpg

White beach on the island La Digue

The Seychelles contain at least 75 species of flowering plants, three mammal species, 14 bird species, 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, and several hundred species of snails, insects, spiders and other invertebrates found nowhere else.<ref name=":0" /> In addition, the waters contain more than 900 kinds of fish, of which more than one-third are associated with coral reefs.<ref name=":0" /> Specific examples of unique birds are the Seychelles paradise flycatcher, the Seychelles black parrot, the Seychelles warbler,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and the flightless rail.<ref name=":0" /> Most famous of all the Seychelles animals are the giant tortoises of the genus Aldabrachelys.Template:Fact

Environmental threats

Vast amounts of plastic debris accumulate on beaches across Seychelles. Observational analysis suggests that most terrestrial debris originates from Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka. Debris associated with fisheries including fish aggregating devices also poses a major problem. Rats have reduced biodiversity on many islands.Template:Fact Climate change is also a significant issue.

Seychelles began addressing the conservation problem in the late 1960s by creating the Nature Conservancy Commission, later renamed the Seychelles National Environment Commission.<ref name=":0" /> A system of national parks and animal preserves covering 42% of the land area and about Template:Convert of the surrounding water areas has been set aside.<ref name=":0" /> Legislation protects wildlife and bans various destructive practices.<ref name=":0" />

A major project was funded by Fonds Francais pour l'environnement Mondiale (FFEM) and implemented by Island Conservation Society.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This aims to rehabilitate and enhance islands for the maintenance of native biodiversity in Seychelles through eradication of introduced predator species, rehabilitation of habitats and reintroduction of rare or threatened species. Rats have been eliminated from North Island, Cosmoledo Atoll and Conception Island.

Facts and figures

File:Seychelles large map.jpg

Detailed map of Seychelles

Geographic coordinates: Template:Coord

Area:
total: 459 km²
land: 459 km²
water: 0 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: Template:Convert or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: Template:Convert with Template:Convert
territorial sea: Template:Convert

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: 0 km²

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

Table of Islands

Island	Capital	Other cities	Area (km2)	Population
Inner Islands	Victoria	La Passe, Grand Anse	247.20	89521
Mahe Islands	Victoria		163.20	78333
Anonyme	Anonyme	Anse Pimen Vert,	0.10	5
Cerf	L’habitation	Kapok Tree Beach, West Beach, Turtle Beach, South Point,	1.27	100
Conception	Anse Conception		0.6	0
Eden	Eden Project		0.56	100
Aux Vaches			0.04	0
Long	Anse Shangri-La	Anse Prison	0.23	100
Mahé	Victoria	Cascade, Anse Royale, Anse Boileau, Beau Vallon	156.70	77983
Mamelles	Mamelles		0.1	0
Moyenne	Brendon Grimshaw Estate	Anse Jolly Roger	0.09	1
Round	Template:Usurped		0.02	1
Sainte Anne	Grand Anse	Anse le mont fleuri, Anse Royal, Anse Tortue, Anse Manon,	2.19	40
Therese	Anse Therese		0.74	3
Other Islands	Romainville [1] Template:Webarchive	Ile Soleil [2]	0.56	0
Praslin Islands	Grand Anse	Anse Volbert, St. Anne	42.20	7682
Aride	Aride Village	Robinson Crusoe beach, Turtle beach,	0.68	8
Chauve Souris	Anse Chauve Souris Template:Webarchive		0.01	2
Cousin	Anse Cousin		0.29	6
Cousine	East beach	west beach, North Beach	0.26	16
Curieuse	Baie Laraie	Anse St. Joseph, anse papao, grand anse, pointe rouge(red), anse badamer, pointe caimant, tortoise point,	2.86	7
Eve	Eve Island Project		0.27	100
Praslin	Grand Anse	Anse Volbert, Baie St. Anne	37.56	7533
Round	Anse Round	Anse Chez Gaby	0.19	10
Other Islands	Booby Island		0.07	0
La Digue and Inner Islands	La Passe		41.80	3506
Bird	Bird Island Village	birdwatchers beach	0.75	38
Denis	St. Denis	north end, anse boise d’argent, ance prince noir,	1.43	80
Felicite	La Penice	Ans Zil Pasyon, Grand Ans,	2.68	20
Fregate	Fregate Marina	Anse Lesange, Anse Bambous,	2.20	214
Iles Soeurs	Grande Soeur Hotel	Petite Soeur	1.18	2
La Digue	La Passe	anse patates, cap bayard, grande anse, roche bois, L’ Union, La Reunion	10.30	2800
Marianne	Ans La Cour	Pointe aux Joncs, Pointe Grand Glacis	0.97	0
North	North Island Lodge	East Beach, West Beach (or Grande Anse), Honeymoon Cove, Dive Beach	2.00	152
Silhouette	La Passe	Grand Barbe,	20.00	200
Other Islands	Cocos	Recife	0.29	0
Outer Islands	(Coëtivy)	Desroches, D'Arros, Alphonse	211.8	503
Aldabra Group	Assumption west beach	Picard Island station, Aldabra anse mais, Aldabra anse var,	178.24	12
Aldabra	Picard Island station	anse mais, anse var,	155.4	0
Assumption	Assumption west beach		11.6	12
Cosmoledo			5.13	0
Astove			7.9	0
Other Islands			0.	0
Alphonse Group	Anse d’Est	Anse Sud	2.2	84
Alphonse	Anse d’Est	Anse Sud	1.7	84
St. François			0.5	0
Other Islands			0.	0
Amirante Group	Desroches	D'Arros, Poivre Nord, Remire (Eagle), Marie Louise	9.9	123
D'Arros	The Estate	north beach	1.5	42
Desroches	south point village	northeast point, Bombe Bay,	3.24	50
Poivre	Poivre Nord	Poivre Sud	2.48	10
Remire (Eagle)			0.	6
Marie Louise	North west point village		0.53	15
Other Islands			2.15	0
Farquhar Group	Farquhar Anse Franc	Providence	13.2	21
Farquhar	Anse Franc	Vingt Cinq	8.00	15
Providence			3.5	6
St. Pierre Island			1.6	0
Other Islands			0.1	0
Southern Coral Group	Coëtivy	Ile Platte	9.96	263
Coëtivy	Coëtivy		9.31	260
Platte	Île Platte		0.65	3
Other Islands			0.0	0
Seychelles	Victoria		459.0	90024

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Seychelles, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

• Northernmost point – Bird Island, Outer Islands district
• Easternmost point – Coëtivy Island, Outer Islands district
• Southernmost point - Goelette Island, Farquhar Group, Outer Islands district
• Westernmost point - West Island, Aldabra Islands, Outer Islands district

See also

• Seychelles Plate
• Mascarene Plateau

References

Template:Seychelles topics Template:Geography of Africa Template:Africa topic