About Seychelles
Seychelles Archipelago - Basic Facts
The coral and granite islands and islets of the Seychelles archipelago lie between 4 and 10 degrees south of the equator and 480 km and 1,600 km from the east coast of Africa in the western part of the Indian Ocean.
The Seychelles Islands consists of 115 islands and islets scattered over the western part of the Indian Ocean occupying the area of 455 km2. The Seychelles archipelago lies in the close vicinity of Madagascar and the east African cost. Of the 115 islands, 43 form the Inner Islands constituting the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on Earth while the remaining 72 islands form low-lying coral atolls and reefs called the Outer Islands. As regards inhabitants, 99% of the archipelago population lives on the Inner Islands, which take up 54% of the total Seychelles area.
Two of Seychelles attractions are inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage Site List, namely the Vallé de Mai National Park, located on the Praslin Island, where unique Coco de Mer coconuts resembling the dismembered lower part of a woman's body grow and the biggest coral atoll Aldabra with its more than 150 thousand gigantic turtles.
Seychelles Islands - Climate
Thanks to its stable weather conditions, the Seychelles Islands are a year round destination for sun worshippers and beach lovers. . The temperature in the Seychelles archipelago rarely drops below 24`C or raises above 32`C.
The Seychelles Islands lie outside the cyclone belt. Thanks to this, they are not exposed to any typhoons or tropical storms. There are only two seasons on the Seychelles Islands, the south-east and the north-east monsoon. The hottest months of the year are March and April. The coldest time of the year is the June to September period.
Seychelles Archipelago - Population
There are more than 90,024 (2012 estimate) inhabitants living on the Seychelles Islands, the predecessors of whose came to this place from all different parts of the world. The Seychelles archipelago attracted freed slaves, European settlers, political exiles, adventurers, traders of Arab and Persian origin as well as Chinese and Indians.
Throughout the history, the Seychelles archipelago was attracted by people from Europe, Africa and Asia. These multi-ethnic roots of the Seychellois population and their diverse cultures, customs and traditions contributed to the today's life style of the Creole nation living there.
Seychelles Islands - Language
There are three official languages spoken in the islands, namely Creole, English and French. Many of the Seychelles inhabitants speak fluently German and Italian.
Seychelles Islands - Religion
The Roman Catholicism remains the dominant religion of the islands. There are, however, also Anglican and Protestant churches and other places of worship there. On the Mahé, Praslin and La Digue islands there are Muslim, Hindu and Bahaist communities living together in harmony.
Seychelles Archipelago - History
The Seychelles Islands have been known to the traders from the Arab world since the Middle Ages. First Europeans, i.e. Portuguese, landed here at the beginning of the 16th century. In 1770, French established their colony there and named it after the then minister of finance Jean Moreau De Seychelles. The Seychelles Islands remained in French hands until the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. Upon the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris, the Seychelles Islands were handed over to the British Monarchy.
In 1825, Victoria became the capital of the islands, which, at that time, had already 7,000 inhabitants. The Seychelles Islands achieved independence from Britain in 1975 and became a republic within the Commonwealth.
In 1977, the period of a single party rule by the government of Francé Albert René started. On 4th December, 1991, Francé Albert René announced the return to the multi-party system of government. The first multi-party parliamentary and presidential elections were held in 1993 and it was Francé Albert René who won. He remained the president until 2004 when he resigned. The current president of the Seychelles Islands is James Alix Michel.
Seychelles Islands - Nature
Almost 50% of their area is covered by national parks and reserves. Thanks to its equatorial climate, the archipelago is the home to some of the rarest fauna and flora species on Earth. It is, for example, known for the Albadra Island with its over 150,000 gigantic turtles. Other rare species living there are the Seychelles black parrot and the Seychelles nightingale.
The Seychelles Islands are also the only place where rare Coco-de-mer endemic palm trees (Lodoicea maldivica) with the biggest seeds (coconuts) in the world grow. The weight of the whole fruit is between 15-30 kg and it resembles the dismembered lower part of a woman's body. These palm tries can be seen by the Seychelles visitors in the Vallé de Mai National Park, the Praslin Island.
Other rare species that can be found in the Seychelles Islands is the critically endangered jellyfish tree (lat. Medusagyne oppositifolia) and the pitcher plant (Nepenthes pervillei). The Republic of Seychelles has a very sophisticated policy of nature preservation/conservation.
Seychelles Islands - Cuisine
The influence of many different nationalities living in the Seychelles archipelago is also reflected in the Creole cuisine, which is very diverse and rich.
Fish, octopus and seafood dishes distinctively flavoured by coconut or chilli, ginger or garlic sauces, play a specific role in the local cuisine.
In the Creole cuisine it is also preferred to use local fruits such as papaya or pomegranate. The national produce of this country is rice. The restaurants on the Seychelles Islands also offer excellent Chinese and Japanese meals.