How many islands make up the Seychelles? Where exactly are they? And what is the weather like? All your questions are answered below.
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. It is directly north of Madagascar and 1600km east of Kenya. It is essentially a country of immigrants and there have only been settlements on the island for the last 250 years. But its short history is turbulent and fascinating. The archipelago was seen as a strategic stopover on trading routes and as such there was much conflict among the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, French and British for these islands.
The
French were the first to arrive in 1770 with African slaves and they were followed by merchants and workers from China and the Indian subcontinent. They ruled Seychelles for almost 50 years until 1814 when the colony fell under the rule of the British. Despite conflict with Arab traders and Portuguese and Dutch seafarers, the
British remained in control until 1976 when Seychelles gained its independence. It was ruled by the dictatorial Albert René and only became fully democratic in 1993, though René remained in power until 2004. This history of conquest and conflict has led to the Seychelles becoming a colourful, diverse and multicultural community where different people and practices co-exist in peace.
Situated just south of the equator,
weather in the Seychelles is great! It experiences average temperatures of between 26°C and 28°C - perfect for catching a tan and swimming without being turned red! And it lies outside the cyclone belt so need to worry about tropical storms or hurricanes. Quite simply, it is a perfect all-year round destination with sunshine 365 days of the year. November to January are warm and wet while May to October are drier and cooler. Plus it is malaria free so no need to worry about any medication.
NB: Our consultants are experts on the Seychelles and the islands so they can help you plan your holiday to this dream destination.
Don't delay - contact us to plan your tailormade trip!
Number of islands: 115
Population: 79,326
Area (sq km): 456
Time zone: GMT+4
National Currency: Rupee
Capital: Victoria
Independence Date: 29 June 1976
President: James Alix Michel (since 2004)
Languages: Creole, English and French
Religion: 83% Roman Catholic with Anglican, Seventh Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha’i and other minorities.
Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. British three-pin plugs are in use.
Geography: The Seychelles Archipelago occupies 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq miles) of the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and contains 115 islands and islets. These fall into two groups of markedly different appearance, stemming from their distinct geologies:
Granitic: A dense cluster of 43 islands, the only mid-ocean group in the world with a granite rock formation. Their lush green vegetation is tropical in character.
NB: Our consultants are experts on the Seychelles and the islands so they can help you plan your holiday to this dream destination.
Don't delay - contact us to plan your tailormade trip!
