The Seychelles Islands are located in the western Indian Ocean, near Madagascar. They form an exotic island state in East Africa, 1,600 km from the continent. The Republic of Seychelles includes 115 islands. The total area of the state is 405 km2. sq. Not all islands have a population.
The beautiful Seychelles is covered with tropical greenery and sandy beaches. The largest islands are Praslin, Silhouette, Mahe, La Digue. They have a granite structure. Small islands are coral formations. The economic life of the country is concentrated on the coasts of large granite islands.
Seychelles history
The first to see the Seychelles was the explorer Vasco da Gama, but they did not attract him, and he continued his journey. After that, the British came to the islands, but they also did not notice their uniqueness.
As a result, the French settled in the Seychelles and turned tropical land areas into plantations. They grew cloves, cinnamon and vanilla here. The islands were named after Moreau de Séchelle, the French finance minister.
Features of geography
The Republic of Seychelles has an area of about 455 sq. km. The largest island is Mahe with an area of 142 sq. km. The capital of the state is Victoria, located on this island.
The central areas of the granite islands are forested with pandanuses, palms and ferns. The coastal areas have cultivated plantations, with coconut trees predominating.
Coral Islands are flat and small atolls. Their total area exceeds 211 km2. sq. They rise to a maximum of 8 m above sea level. Atolls are prone to droughts, as they are composed of limestone, which does not retain moisture. Only coconut palms grow on the atolls. On the islands there is a Seychelles palm that grows only there. The fruit of this palm tree weighs about 20 kg and is the record holder in the world of plants.
Seychelles weather forecast by month
Underwater world
Diverse flora and fauna are the asset of the Seychelles. The main area for diving is the Shark Coast, which is 8 km away from Mahé. Underwater visibility is excellent there. In the depths of the sea, you can see a cow-fish, lion-fish, starfish, Napoleon-fish, stingray and other inhabitants. Near the island of Desroches, a wall formed by corals stretches under the water.
Fishing is popular in the Seychelles. The best time for this is from mid-autumn to April. Near the islands you can catch swordfish, tuna or tiger shark.
