Seychelles
Seychelles
The Republic of Seychelles (French Republique des Seychelles, English Republic of Seychelles, Seish. Repiblik Sesel) is an island state in East Africa. The state is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Seychelles are located in the western part of the Indian Ocean, slightly south of the equator, about 1600 km east of the African mainland, north of Madagascar.
The Republic of Seychelles consists of 115 islands, only 33 are inhabited.
The area of the state is 455 sq. km.
The largest island is Mahe (142 sq. km). It is the capital of the state – Victoria and the international airport. Other large islands are Silhouette, Praslin, La Digue. There are many small coral islands.
The population of the Seychelles is about 95 thousand people as of 2017.
The average life expectancy is 74 years (2011).
Annual increase – 0.97% (fertility – 1.92 births per woman).
Ethnic composition: mainly Franco-African mulattoes, as well as Europeans, blacks, Indians, Chinese, Arabs.
Languages: Creole (based on French) – 91.8%, English (official) – 4.9%, other – 3.3% (according to the 2002 census).
Tourism in the Seychelles
Tourism is developing at a good pace. Tourists fly to the Seychelles for diving and recreation on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
Tourism brings 75% of foreign exchange earnings.
In the conditions of the equatorial climate (+26 – +28 ° C all year round), only coconut palm grows on thin limestone soils.
Due to the long island isolation in the flora and fauna of the Seychelles, the percentage of endemics is very high – birds, reptiles and plants found only in this archipelago.
Aldabra tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) are found in the Seychelles. Some of them are centenarians (150 years old) and weigh more than 250 kg, almost like fighting Kalmyk Bactrian camels.
Palm Island (Praslin) is the second largest in the Seychelles archipelago. Rare species of birds live here – the Seychelles small black vase parrot (Coracopsis nigra barklyi) and the bulbul nightingale. The island of birds is famous. Every year many migratory birds come here to nest, almost like in the mysterious Kalmykia.
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