InStyle Vacations

10 Things you probably didn’t know about Seychelles but should

Seychelles is officially known as the Republic of Seychelles. The country is made up of 115 islands and is located 932 miles from mainland Southeast Africa. Its closest neighbors include the Islands of Zanzibar, Madagascar, Mayotte, Comoros, Mauritius, and Reunion. It is the smallest country in Africa by population at just 90,024. Below is a snapshot of things you should know about the island.

  1. The Seychelles’ capital is known as Victoria
  2. Official languages in Seychelles are English, French and Seychellois Creole.
  3. The first European on the island was the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama in 1502.
  4. Until 1756 when the French took control of the island nation, it was used by pirates as a transit point between Asia and Africa. The island is named after the Louis XV's Minister of Finance, one Jean Moreau de Seychelles.
  5. The country got its independence from United Kingdom on 29th June 1976. Today, it is a presidential democracy.
  6. A majority of the country's 116 islands are unoccupied and are thus set aside as nature preserves.
  7. The country's islands are divided into the several groups according to their soil constitution. The groups include; Granitic Seychelles, Coral Sand Cay, Coral Cays, Amirantes Group, Farquhar Group, and Aldabra Group.
  8. Seychelles climate is tropical rainforest. It averages 25 to 28 degrees centigrade.
  9. The country is home to a diverse flora and fauna species, with the seabird colonies being among the largest in the world.
  10. Tourism is the economic mainstay of the country employing more than 30 % of the population.
  11. Popular Seychelles delicacies include; seafood and shellfish with rice, steamed or grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves, and curry dishes with rice.

Seychelles is one of the richest countries in Africa. It is one of the most tourist friendly countries in the world. It is an open democracy with equal rights for everybody. You will have fun exploring the country.

by Kennedy Runo on 12/16/2014 in Before your trip