Seychelles (Africa)

The Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, consisting of more than 100 islands of which 83 are named and 46 are permanently uninhabited. Mahé is the principal island comprising of 142 sq km, with the islands of Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette being the next important . Situated about 1,600 km off the east coast of Africa, Mahe extends 27 km north to south and 11 km east to west and has a coastline of 127 km.

The breathtakingly beautiful Seychelles islands are surely the most romantic destination there is. They cast a siren-like spell over everyone who experiences its crystalline turquoise sea washing the pristine coral reefs and the powdery beaches that encircle the vast granite pinnacles which emerge from the verdant green rainforest. The islands stretch like an array of jewels across nearly one million square kilometres of the Indian Ocean east of Kenya, and even have their own unique suggestively shaped fruit, the famous 'coco de mer' double coconut, to emphasise their seductive charms. Only a few of the 115 islands are inhabited, most of the local population (known as Seychellois) being gathered on the main island, Mahé, around the capital city of Victoria.

The Seychellois are an alluring mix of freed African slaves, Arab, Indian and Chinese traders, and British and French settlers and seafarers who go about their business speaking a Creole patois. The multi-party democratic Republic was once a thriving pirate's haven but today it serves as a refuge for sunseekers, honeymooners and nature lovers who congregate in the top quality hotels and resorts on the main island shores. Whether you come to dive among the more than 800 species of fish in the island waters, marvel at flocks of colourful birds flitting among rare jungle trees, soak up the equatorial sun on silver sands or to cement your marriage vows, the Seychelles archipelago will impress as being just about as close to paradise as it is possible to get on earth.

Though more than 7000km (4500mi) from the epicentre, the Seychelle islands suffered widespread damage in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. Fishing and tourism infrastructure were all affected by the waves, which caused millions of dollars damage to roads, buildings and fishing boats. Three people were killed and a major bridge in Port Victoria was destroyed.

The granite islands rise above the sea surface to form a peak or ridge which, in the case of Mahé, attains an elevation of 3,000 ft at Morne Seychellois, the highest point. Rugged crests, towering cliffs, boulders and domes contribute to the islands great natural beauty. Here and there, in the hollows between the rock relief, are pockets of lateritic soil, often very thin and easily eroded.

Mahé possesses white sandy beaches which, for a distance of 200 or 300 years, are flats of coral and shell known locally as plateaus, although they rarely achieve an elevation of more than 10 ft above sea level. Small streams descending the mountain slopes deposit alluvial material, creating the most fertile soils on the island.

The coralline Seychelles are, in contrast, low-lying, rising only a few feet above the surface of the sea. Many have the typical Indian Ocean lagoon. Soils tend to be thin with poor moisture retention. These island are suited only to coconut palm and a few other species.

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