Capital: Victoria
Currency: Seychelles Rupee (SCR)
Borders: 0 km
The Seychelles islands are located 1625 km from the east coast of
the African continent. They are roughly 100 islands with a joint
total landmass of just 455 sq km. The main islands are La Digue,
Mahe and Praslin. These islands are of granite formation. The
remaining islands are largely coral atolls with protected reefs. It
is believed that the Seychelles are the peaks of an ancient
underwater plateau and are definitely not volcanic. The main
island's terrain is made up of narrow coastal strips, and are rocky
with somewhat hilly, forested interiors. The beaches of the
Seychelles are amongst the best the world has to offer. Unspoilt
palm fringed white-sand beaches are lapped by turquoise waters
against a backdrop of deep blue sky and little fluffy clouds. The
islands are home to a variety of wildlife including giant tortoises
(the world's largest), many species of birds and over 145 kinds of
tropical fish. Snorkel out onto a nearby coral reef and immerse into
an underwater garden of colour and beauty. Many of the coral atolls
are established marine parks and some of the islands are bird
sanctuaries.The capital of the Seychelles
is Victoria. The French heavily colonized these islands at one point
and their legacy is still evident today. French and English are
still widely spoken along with the native tongue Creole. The main
religion is Roman Catholicism, which accounts for 86.6% of the
population. The official unit of currency is the Seychelles Rupee.
The economy largely relies on tourism these days although
agriculture does account for 10% of Seychelles workforce.
Agricultural produce includes coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet
potatoes, cassava, bananas and tuna fish. The export commodities of
the Seychelles are canned tuna, cinnamon bark and copra.
The Seychelles are tropical islands with average year-round
temperatures of 30°C. The highest recorded temperature in Victoria
was 33°C. The Seychelles lie within a monsoon belt. The southeast
monsoon lasts from May to September and the northwest from March to
May. |
