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Location:
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Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 35 S, 55 40 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 455 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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491 km
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Maritime claims:
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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
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Climate:
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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:
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Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
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Natural resources:
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fish, copra, cinnamon trees
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
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Environment - current issues:
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water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands
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