Image: The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over part of the Seychelles, an island republic...
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over part of the Seychelles, an island republic in the western Indian Ocean.
Positioned about 1600 km east of Kenya and about 1100 km northeast of Madagascar, the Seychelles archipelago comprises around 115 small islands - spread across 90 000 sq km of ocean - with only eight being inhabited by humans.
The turquoise hues along the shores depict clear, shallow waters dotted by coral reefs, which contrast with the darker waters of the deep Indian Ocean.
One of the world's smallest countries, the archipelago consists of two main island groups: the central, mountainous, granitic islands, and the outer, flat, coralline islands.
The two largest islands of the archipelago are featured in this image: Mahé and Praslin.
The Seychelles International Airport is visible to the west.
As evident from the image, lush vegetation covers much of the island, mainly protected by national parks.
The Morne Seychellois National Park is the largest, extending approximately 3000 hectares, encompassing over 20% of Mahé's land.
The park features mangroves, tropical jungles and mountains, including the 900 m-high Morne Seychellois - the highest peak in the whole archipelago.
Many low-lying islands, especially the coralline islands, and most coastal areas are at risk of disappearing or becoming uninhabitable due to sea-level rise, driven by the climate crisis.