Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions, called districts:

Anse aux Pins

Anse Boileau

Anse Etoile

Anse Royale

Au Cap

Baie Lazare

Baie Sainte Anne

Beau Vallon

Bel Air

Bel Ombre

Cascade

Glacis

Grand' Anse (Mahe)

Grand' Anse (Praslin)

La Digue

La Riviere Anglaise

Les Mamelles

Mont Buxton

Mont Fleuri

Plaisance

Pointe La Rue

Port Glaud

Roche Caiman

Saint Louis

Takamaka

The Seychelles constitute an archipelago in the Indian Ocean of forty-one islands, of which thirty-three are inhabited. The group of islands around Mahé consist of granite and are the largest and most populated of the country. The remaining outer group consists of smaller coralline atolls. The capital city, Victoria, is situated on Mahé, which is the largest island and home to about 80% of the total population, as well as the Seychelles' highest point, the Morne Seychellois at 905 m.

The local climate is tropical, tempered by marine influences and fairly humid. The southwest monsoon is a generally cooler season which lasts from late May to September, while the warmer northwest monsoon lasts from October to May. The Seychelles are fortunate to lie outside the tropical cyclone belt.

Seychelles largely escaped the Asian Tsunami of December 2004 spawned by an earthquake. However, the islands did see significant flooding and damage, as well as the loss of marine life and a death toll of three people.

The Seychelles also claims the Glorioso Islands, considering them a part of the Seychellois Archipelago

The early colonial history of Seychelles is infamous for the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, felling of coastal and mid-level forests and extinction of species such as the Chesnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet and the saltwater crocodile. The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. Conservation started in the 1960's by a small group of local enthusiasts. Although many of the conservation laws date back to British colonial days, the Seychelles government has strictly protected the natural heritage of the islands for many years. Flagship species, the Seychelles Magpie Robin and the Seychelles Warbler, have been spectacularly rescued from the brink of extinction by BirdLife International and Nature Seychelles with the collaboration of the Islands Conservation Society, private islands and the government. These birds, once restricted to one island each, have been translocated to many others by these two NGOs. Seychelles has 12 endemic bird species including the Seychelles Flycatcher, Scops Owl, White Eye, Swiftlet, Kestrel, Blue Pigeon and Sunbird.

Seychelles is home to 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites run by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. They are the island of Aldabra, which is the world's largest raised coral atoll and also the Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, billed as the original site of the Garden of Eden. The Cousin Island Special Reserve, purchased by BirdLife International in 1968 and managed by Nature Seychelles, is an internationally-known bird and marine sanctuary which has won several awards for conservation and ecotourism. Seychelles has six national marine parks including the St. Anne National Marine Park located adjacent to the capital, Port Victoria which are managed by the government parastatal, Marine Parks Authority. Much of the land territory (about 40%) and a substantial part of the coastal sea around Seychelles are protected as National Parks, including Marine Parks, and Reserves.

Several private island owners, especially those with up market hotel resorts, have collaborated with the government and Nature Seychelles to restore island habitats and to re-introduce threatened species. These islands include Fregate, Denis and Cousine. The management of these islands now employ full time conservation officers and fund conservation programmes. The island restoration program has now been taken to the outer islands by the Island Conservation Society, an NGO.

The Seychelles are home to 81 endemic plant species. Well-known is the Coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the 'love nut' because of its suggestive shape, the coco-de-mer is the world's largest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the Wrights Gardenia found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.

The giant tortoises from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. The granitic islands of Seychelles were thought to support at least three distinct species of giant tortoises,but recent studies have discovered that all the tortoises in Seychelles are genetically the same as the Aldabra Giant Tortoise.

Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Islands such as Bird, Aride, Cousin, Aldabra and Cosmoledo host many species of seabirds including the Sooty Tern, Fairy Tern, White-tailed Tropicbird, Noddies and Frigatebirds.

The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960's, the wildlife is unafraid of snorklers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs. The taking of marine turtles was completely stopped in 1994, turtle populations are now recovering on several islands, most notably Cousin Island and Aldabra. The use of gill nets for shark fishing as well as the practice of shark finning are now banned.