The Seychelles consists of 41 granitic (pre-Cambrian) and 74 coralline islands rising from the Seychelles Bank, a shallow water area of some 31,000 km2. This bank is believed to have formed as a separation from the Indian plate. Today, as a nation, the Seychelles has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to land ratio. The total land area of 455 km2 is scattered within a 1, 374 000 km2. The islands are divided into two main groups, the outer and the inner islands. The Inner Seychelles are principally granitic and are home to 97% of the total population of approximately 75,000. Mahe is the largest island and the location of the capital Victoria and the Government.
Recently the Seychellois government have rekindled plans for achieving sustainable development with the comprehensive Environmental Management Plan of the Seychelles (EMPS) 1990-2000(downloadable sections Word v.6). Projects include programmes for Coastal and Marine Environmental Baseline Studies, Marine Resources Management Plans and Improve the National Parks. Collaboration with various international organisations have promoted the exchange of information and have often included the training of Seychelles nationals.