Which African island country is the smallest by land area?

Seychelles is the smallest African country by land area. This island republic has a total land area of roughly 459 square kilometres, spread across islands in the western Indian Ocean.

The country consists of about 115 islands, although only some are permanently inhabited. Mahé is the largest island and contains Victoria, the national capital. Granite islands form the main central group, while more distant islands are largely coral formations.

Seychelles became independent from the United Kingdom in 1976. Its small size is sometimes confused with population size or geographic location: it is an African country politically and geographically, despite lying far east of the mainland. Tourism, fishing and conservation are important parts of its economy, and the islands are known for protected coastal and marine environments.