#Seychelles officially the Republic of Seychelles is an archipelago consisting of 115 islands. Located near the coast of #Africa in the #IndianOcean at the eastern edge of the #Somali Sea halfway between #India and Africa. The city of #Victoria is its capital and largest city. It can call other #island nations as neighbors that are located hundreds of KMS away such as #Comoros, #Madagascar, #Mauritius, #Mayotte, #Réunion, #Maldives, and #Chagos. Once uninhabited Seychelles was colonized by both #French and #British. It became independent in 1976.
Ever since it has developed into a diversified economy where #tourism activities are now the biggest contributor to #economy. It is one of only two African countries other than Mauritius classified as a high-income economy by #WorldBank and boasts of the highest nominal per capita #GDP of any African country. It is also only second to Mauritius in the Human Development Index of any African nation. The country is an eclectic mix of French, British, African, #Chinese, and #Indian elements owing to indentured people being transported from their native land.
A transit point for trade between Africa and #Asia, it was occasionally used by pirates until the French took control in 1756. Seychelles is at the forefront of the fight against Indian Ocean piracy primarily committed by Somali #pirates. The majority of the islands are uninhabited, with many dedicated as nature reserves with the largest island being #Mahe. A country is a group of 44 islands referred to as the inner islands. In addition to these, there are 155 coral islands as per the Constitution of Seychelles including #Silhoute and #Almirante.
Seychelles is among the world’s leading countries to protect lands for threatened #wildlife species, allocating 42% of its territory for conservation as it is home to a huge variety of wildlife. Seychelles is home to two terrestrial ecoregions, Granitic Seychelles forests and Aldabra Island xeric scrub. #French and #English are official #languages along with Seychellois Creole, with #Christianity and #Hinduism being the two most popular #religions. Ever since tourism became a significant industry, essentially the country divided the #economy into plantations and tourism.
Seychelles has a diverse culture, though #cuisine mostly involves #seafood it is highly influenced from #India. The education system has improved a lot since independence providing #employment to people in the tourism industry. There are several #hotels and # resorts that provide luxurious, mid-range, and budget accommodation. Restaurants serve a wide variety of #cuisine at reasonable prices. Well connected by air and sea with most countries of Africa, #MiddleEast, Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia, Seychelles is a picturesque country ideal for a week-long vacation.
The country where most of the islands are dedicated to tourism is known for its stunning #sunrise and #sunset, white sands, #beautiful #beaches pristine blue waters, exotic locales, #marinelife especially #shark and #turtles, and #coralreef. Tourists visiting the islands can enjoy a variety of #adventuresports including #jetskiing #parasailing #surfing #scubadiving, # snorkeling, and much more.
