DE+PIETRO+Madeleine

= = = = = = = Madeleine DE PIETRO is going to SEYCHELLES = =Seychelles = (pronounced /seɪˈʃɛl/ or IPA: [/seɪˈʃɛlz/] in English and [seʃɛl] in French), officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: //République des Seychelles//; Creole: //Repiblik Sesel//), is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest, and the Maldives to the northeast. The Seychelles has the smallest population of any African state [|[1]], [|[2]]  History While Austronesian seafarers or Arab traders may have been the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles, the first known European recorded sighting of them took place in 1502, by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama, who passed through the Amirantes and named them after himself (islands of the Admiral). The first recorded landing and first written account was by the crew of the English East Indiaman //Ascension// in 1609. As a transit point for trading between Africa and Asia, they were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control of the islands starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid by Captain Nicholas Morphey. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV’s Minister of Finance.[3]The Seychelles are a group of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean that lie off the coast of East Africa, northeast of Madagascar. The Seychelles were disputed between France and Great Britain during the age of colonialism, with Britain ending up in control in 1814 after the Napoleonic Wars. The islands achieved independence in 1976, however free elections did not occur until 1993. The politics of this island group remain in something of a state of flux, although this should not bother the tourist seeking a relaxing beach vacation. An island nation, the Seychelles is located to the northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (994 mi) east of Kenya. The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155. The islands as per the Constitution are divided into various groups as follows. There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur, Thérèse, Aride, Conception, Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Ile aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Ile Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé), Chauve Souris (Praslin), Ile La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin), Zavé, Harrison Rocks (Grand Both at official exchange rates and at purchasing power parity (PPP), Seychelles remains the richest territory in Africa in terms of GDP per capita (US$9,440.095 at real exchange rates and US$17,560.062 at PPP 2008 estimate),[4] Contrary to what was cited before in terms of the wealthiest African state, it is misleading to compare the Seychelles economy to the Indian Ocean island of Réunion which is part of France, economically dependent on the French income and budget and has the Euro as currency). The Seychelles is a totally independent state generating its own income. As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The largest ethnic groups are those of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent. French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is primarily based upon French. Environmental legislation is very strict, and every tourism project must undergo an environmental review and a lengthy process of consultations with the public and conservationists. The Seychelles is a world leader in sustainable tourism. The end result of this sustainable development is an intact and stable natural environment, which attracts financially strong visitors (150,000 in 2007) rather than short term mass tourism. Since 1993 a law guarantees the citizens the right to a clean environment and at the same time obligates them to protect this environment. The country holds a record for the highest percentage of land under natural conservation—nearly 50% of the total land area of the Seychelles.[citation needed] Anse Source d' Argent on La Digue. Like many fragile island ecosystems, the Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity during early human history, including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, the felling of coastal and mid-level forests, and the extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles Parakeet, the Seychelles Black Terrapin and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation (since 1770). The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. The rare Seychelles Black Parrot, the national bird of the country, is now protected. The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species, with a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the Coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the "love nut" because of its suggestive shape, the coco-de-mer produces the world's heaviest seed pods. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the Wrights Gardenia found only on Aride Island Special Reserve. Giant Tortoise (Dipsochelys hololissa). The giant tortoises from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. It has been reported that the granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises, the status of the different populations is currently unclear. There are several unique varieties of Orchids on the Islands. Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1,000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (e.g. Silhouette Island). Source: Wikipedia & Wikitravel Seychelles, comprising 115 granitic and coralline islands in the Indian Ocean, is a popular destination for exotic luxury holiday seekers. The archipelago lies between 475 km and 1620 km off the coast of East Africa and it boasts some of the world’s most exotic beaches. Beaches of Seychelles include Anse Source d’Argent the famous beach on La Digue that is framed by impressive granite rocks, Anse Cocos on the eastern coast of La Digue (the fourth largest island in Seychelles), Anse Patates lying on the northern most tip of the La Digue, Anse a la Mouche, Anse Forbans and Anse Union among others. The cultural heart of Seychelles is formed by Mahé, Praslin and La Digua islands. Seychelles exotic tours in Mahé, Praslin and La Digua islands have over the years drawn numerous visitors from around the world. Measuring 28 km long and 8 km wide, Mahé is the principal island of Seychelles and the home to the Mahé International Airport. Major attractions in Mahé include Victoria’s Clock Tower - a copy of the ‘Little Ben’ tower outside London’s Victoria station, Morne Seychellois National Park, the Botanical gardens - highly recommended for their giant tortoises and the endemic plant species, and Beau Vallon Beach - the biggest and the most popular beach on Mahé.Six islands around Mahe form the Ste Anne Marine National Park, the best place to explore the underwater life. Round Island, one of the six islands, is the best places for genuine Creole cuisine. Praslin is the second popular island in Seychelles, renowned for the legendary Coco-de-mer nut that grow on ancient giant palms in the wondrous Vallee de Mai Forest and L’Union Estate that hosts one of the most pristline beaches in Seychelles. Located 44 km to the north east of Mahe, Praslin features exquisite beaches such as Anse Boudin, Anse Georgette, Anse Lazio, Anse La Farine, Anse Possession, Anse Matelot, Grand Anse, Anse Volbert, Anse Kerlan. On the other hand, time seems to stand still on La Digue where on-carts hold sway on the paths to the dream beach of Anse La Sourced Argent. Seychelles The British contested control over the islands with the French between 1794 and 1810. Jean Baptiste Quéau de Quincy, French administrator of Seychelles during the years of war with the United Kingdom, declined to resist when armed enemy warships arrived. Instead, he successfully negotiated the status of capitulation to Britain, which gave the settlers a privileged position of neutrality. Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1810, and this was formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. The Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903 and independence was granted in 1976, as a republic within the Commonwealth. In 1977, a coup d'état ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham, replacing him with France Albert René. The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991. The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60 percent of voters in 1992, but an amended version was approved in 1993. Geography Dense forests of Mahé Island. An island nation, the Seychelles is located to the northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (994 mi) east of Kenya. The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155. The islands as per the Constitution are divided into various groups as follows. There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur, Thérèse, Aride, Conception, Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Ile aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Ile Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé), Chauve Souris (Praslin), Ile La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin), Zavé, Harrison Rocks (Grand Rocher). There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics: Denis, Bird. There are two coral islands south of the granitics: Coëtivy, Platte. There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitics: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising three islands: Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands: St. Joseph Ile aux Fouquets, Ressource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Ile Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Ile aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (comprising two islands: African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. François, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier. There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-south west of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands: Bancs de Sable Déposés Ile aux Goëlettes Lapins Ile du Milieu North Manaha South Manaha Middle Manaha North Island and South Island), Providence Atoll (comprising two islands: Providence and Bancs Providence) and St Pierre. There are 67 raised coral islands in the Aldabra Group, west of the Farquhar Group: Aldabra Atoll (comprising 46 islands: Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Ile Michel, Ile Esprit, Ile aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Ile Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Cèdres, Iles Chalands, Ile Fangame, Ile Héron, Ile Michel, Ile Squacco, Ile Sylvestre, Ile Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock and Table Ronde), Assumption, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands: Menai, Ile du Nord (West North), Ile Nord-Est (East North), Ile du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Ile (Wizard), Pagode, Ile du Sud-Ouest (South), Ile aux Moustiques, Ile Baleine, Ile aux Chauve-Souris, Ile aux Macaques, Ile aux Rats, Ile du Nord-Ouest, Ile Observation, Ile Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix). Culture Seychellois people after fishing. Seychellois society is essentially matriarchal.[9][10] Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most current expenditures and looking after the interests of the children.[9] Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children.[10] Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral.[9] Older women can usually count on financial support from family members living at home or contributions from the earnings of grown children.[9] The district clock tower in the centre of Victoria, capital of Seychelles. The music of Seychelles is diverse. The folk music of the islands incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion, including European contredanse, polka and mazurka, French folk and pop, sega from Mauritius and Réunion, taarab, soukous and other pan-African genres, and Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian music.[//citation needed//] A complex form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga developed by Ton Pa. Most of the people are Christian: Roman Catholic (90 percent) or Anglican (8 percent). What the priests teach is somewhat different from the beliefs and practices of the layperson. Seychellois traditionally had a strong belief in spirits (namman) and sorcery (gri-gri). Some sorcerers were very influential. Traditionally, despite a greater connection with Great Britain (e.g., in education, which follows the International General Certificate of Education (IGCSE) and "A" (advanced) Level curriculum and has a branch of The University of Manchester as one of its highest educational institutions, and on many aspects of the law) a British //Sunday Telegraph'// travel journalist and many other notable foreign observers have stated that "the culture remains emphatically French" and about 70% of the population have a family name of French origin, compared with only about 20% family names of English origin.[//citation needed//] The two are often mixed, such that inhabitants receive an English first name and a French family name or vice-versa (e.g., Jean-Pierre Kingsmith). Most people are of mixed origins, often of white Europeans with black Africans where the whites are mainly French and the blacks are mainly East Africans.[//citation needed//]