Английская Википедия:Geography of Seychelles
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Country geography
Seychelles is a small island country east of the African continent located in the Sea of Zanj due north of Madagascar, with Antsiranana as its nearest foreign city.[1] Seychelles lies between approximately 4ºS and 10ºS and 46ºE and 54ºE. The nation is an archipelago of 155 tropical islands, some granite and some coral. the majority of which are small and uninhabited. The landmass is only Шаблон:Convert, but the islands are spread wide over an exclusive economic zone of Шаблон:Convert. About 90 percent of the population of 100,000 live on Mahé, 9 percent on Praslin and La Digue. Around a third of the land area is the island of Mahé and a further third the atoll of Aldabra.[2]
There are two distinct regions, the granitic islands, the world's only oceanic islands of granitic rock and the coralline outer islands. The granite islands are the world's oldest ocean islands, while the outer islands are mainly very young, though the Aldabra group and St Pierre (Farquhar Group) are unusual, raised coral islands that have emerged and submerged several times during their long history, the most recent submergence dating from about 125,000 years ago[3]
Physical features
The archipelago consists of 155 islands and thirty prominent rock formations scattered throughout a self-proclaimed exclusive economic zone of more than Шаблон:Convert of ocean.[4] Some forty islands are granitic and lie in a Шаблон:Convert radius from Mahé, the main island.[4] The remaining islands are coralline, stretching over a Шаблон:Convert radius from Ile Aux Vaches in the northeast to the Aldabra Atoll in the southwest.[4] The country's Inner Islands are the granitic islands plus two nearby coralline islands, Bird Island and Denis Island.Шаблон:Fact The remaining coralline islands are the Outer Islands.Шаблон:Fact The islands are all small—the aggregate land area is only Шаблон:Convert.[4][5]
Mahé is Шаблон:Convert long and no more than Шаблон:Convert wide,[4] with an area of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Fact It contains the capital and only city, Victoria, an excellent port.[4] Victoria lies approximately Шаблон:Convert east of Mombasa, Kenya; Шаблон:Convert southwest of Mumbai; Шаблон:Convert north of Mauritius; and Шаблон:Convert northeast of Madagascar.[4] The only other important islands by virtue of their size and population are Praslin and La Digue, situated about thirty kilometers to the northeast of Mahé.[4]
The granitic islands are founded on a fragment separated from the Indian continental plate during the Palaeocene about 66 million years ago during the break up of the supercontinent of Gondwana. This break-up was associated with the volcanic activity that built the Mascarene Plateau.[6] These granitic islands are characterized by boulder-covered hills and mountains as high as Шаблон:Convert rising abruptly from the sea.[4] Elsewhere, narrow coastal plains extend to the base of the foothills.[4] Extensively developed coral reefs are found mainly on the east coasts because of the southwest trade winds and equatorial current. Ninety-nine percent of the population is located on the granitic islands, and most are on Mahé.[4]
The coralline islands differ sharply from the granitic in that they are very flat, often rising only a few feet (one meter) above sea level. They have no fresh water, and very few have a resident population.[4] Many, like Ile aux Vaches, Ile Denis, the Amirante Isles, Platte Island, and Coetivy Island, are sand cays upon which extensive coconut plantations have been established.[4] Some of the coralline islands consist of uplifted reefs and atolls covered with stunted vegetation.[4] Several of these islands have been important breeding grounds for turtles and birds, as well as the sites of extensive guano deposits, which formerly constituted an important element of the Seychellois economy but now for the most part are depleted.[4] The Aldabra Islands, the largest coralline atoll with an area greater than Mahe, are a sanctuary for rare animals and birds.[4]
The five groups of coralline islands that make up the Outer Islands are Southern Coral Group (a collective term for Île Platte and Coëtivy Island), Amirante Islands, Alphonse Group (Alphonse Atoll and St. François Atoll), Aldabra Group (Aldabra Atoll, Assumption Island, and the Cosmoledo Group, consisting of Cosmoledo Atoll and Astove Island), and Farquhar Group (Farquhar Atoll, Providence Atoll and St. Pierre Island).[7]
Geology
The Seychelles Bank is founded on a granite basement, a fragment separated from the Indian continental plate during the Palaeocene about 66 million years ago. This break-up was associated with the volcanic activity that built the Mascarene Plateau. The occurrence of syenite, diorite and microgranite in the western part of the Seychelles Bank could indicate that crustal deposit across the northwestern Indian Ocean Ridge apparently drove the Seychelles block southwestwards, causing it to collide with the northeastern edge of the Mascarene Basin. This collision could have led to the development of the Amirante Trough.[6] This rift formation is associated with the Réunion hotspot which is also responsible for Réunion Island and the Deccan Traps in India. Because of its long isolation, the Seychelles hosts several unique species including the coco de mer, a palm which has the largest seeds of any plant and the world's largest population of giant tortoises.Шаблон:Fact
Climate
The climate of Seychelles is tropical, having little seasonal variation.[4] Temperatures on Mahe rarely rise above Шаблон:Convert or drop below Шаблон:Convert.[4] Humidity is high, but its enervating effect is usually ameliorated by prevailing winds.[4] The southeast monsoon from late May to September brings cooler weather, and the northwest monsoon from March to May, warmer weather.[4]
High winds are rare inasmuch as most islands lie outside the Indian Ocean cyclone belt; Mahe suffered the only such storm in its recorded history in 1862.[4] Mean annual rainfall in Mahe averages Шаблон:Convert at sea level and as much as Шаблон:Convert on the mountain slopes.[4] Precipitation is somewhat less on the other islands, averaging as low as Шаблон:Convert per year on the southernmost coral islands.[4]
Because catchment provides most sources of water in Seychelles, yearly variations in rainfall or even brief periods of drought can produce water shortages.[4] Small dams have been built on Mahe since 1969 in an effort to guarantee a reliable water supply, but drought can still be a problem on Mahe and particularly on La Digue.[4]
Flora and fauna
The Seychelles contain at least 75 species of flowering plants, three mammal species, 14 bird species, 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, and several hundred species of snails, insects, spiders and other invertebrates found nowhere else.[4] In addition, the waters contain more than 900 kinds of fish, of which more than one-third are associated with coral reefs.[4] Specific examples of unique birds are the Seychelles paradise flycatcher, the Seychelles black parrot, the Seychelles warbler,[8] and the flightless rail.[4] Most famous of all the Seychelles animals are the giant tortoises of the genus Aldabrachelys.Шаблон:Fact
Environmental threats
Vast amounts of plastic debris accumulate on beaches across Seychelles. Observational analysis suggests that most terrestrial debris originates from Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka. Debris associated with fisheries including fish aggregating devices also poses a major problem. Rats have reduced biodiversity on many islands.Шаблон:Fact Climate change is also a significant issue.
Seychelles began addressing the conservation problem in the late 1960s by creating the Nature Conservancy Commission, later renamed the Seychelles National Environment Commission.[4] A system of national parks and animal preserves covering 42% of the land area and about Шаблон:Convert of the surrounding water areas has been set aside.[4] Legislation protects wildlife and bans various destructive practices.[4]
A major project was funded by Fonds Francais pour l'environnement Mondiale (FFEM) and implemented by Island Conservation Society.[9] This aims to rehabilitate and enhance islands for the maintenance of native biodiversity in Seychelles through eradication of introduced predator species, rehabilitation of habitats and reintroduction of rare or threatened species. Rats have been eliminated from North Island, Cosmoledo Atoll and Conception Island.
Facts and figures
Geographic coordinates: Шаблон:Coord
Area:
total:
459 km2
land:
459 km2
water:
0 km2
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
Шаблон:Convert or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
Шаблон:Convert with Шаблон:Convert
territorial sea:
Шаблон:Convert
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
13%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
11%
other:
74% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 km2
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Table of Islands
| Island | Capital | Other cities | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inner Islands | Victoria | La Passe, Grand Anse | 247.20 | 89521 |
| Mahe Islands | Victoria | 163.20 | 78333 | |
| Anonyme | Anonyme | Anse Pimen Vert, | 0.10 | 5 |
| Cerf | L’habitation | Kapok Tree Beach, West Beach, Turtle Beach, South Point, | 1.27 | 100 |
| Conception | Anse Conception | 0.6 | 0 | |
| Eden | Eden Project | 0.56 | 100 | |
| Aux Vaches | 0.04 | 0 | ||
| Long | Anse Shangri-La | Anse Prison | 0.23 | 100 |
| Mahé | Victoria | Cascade, Anse Royale, Anse Boileau, Beau Vallon | 156.70 | 77983 |
| Mamelles | Mamelles | 0.1 | 0 | |
| Moyenne | Brendon Grimshaw Estate | Anse Jolly Roger | 0.09 | 1 |
| Round | Île Ronde | 0.02 | 1 | |
| Sainte Anne | Grand Anse | Anse le mont fleuri, Anse Royal, Anse Tortue, Anse Manon, | 2.19 | 40 |
| Therese | Anse Therese | 0.74 | 3 | |
| Other Islands | Romainville [1] | Ile Soleil [2] | 0.56 | 0 |
| Praslin Islands | Grand Anse | Anse Volbert, St. Anne | 42.20 | 7682 |
| Aride | Aride Village | Robinson Crusoe beach, Turtle beach, | 0.68 | 8 |
| Chauve Souris | Anse Chauve Souris | 0.01 | 2 | |
| Cousin | Anse Cousin | 0.29 | 6 | |
| Cousine | East beach | west beach, North Beach | 0.26 | 16 |
| Curieuse | Baie Laraie | Anse St. Joseph, anse papao, grand anse, pointe rouge(red), anse badamer, pointe caimant, tortoise point, | 2.86 | 7 |
| Eve | Eve Island Project | 0.27 | 100 | |
| Praslin | Grand Anse | Anse Volbert, Baie St. Anne | 37.56 | 7533 |
| Round | Anse Round | Anse Chez Gaby | 0.19 | 10 |
| Other Islands | Booby Island | 0.07 | 0 | |
| La Digue and Inner Islands | La Passe | 41.80 | 3506 | |
| Bird | Bird Island Village | birdwatchers beach | 0.75 | 38 |
| Denis | St. Denis | north end, anse boise d’argent, ance prince noir, | 1.43 | 80 |
| Felicite | La Penice | Ans Zil Pasyon, Grand Ans, | 2.68 | 20 |
| Fregate | Fregate Marina | Anse Lesange, Anse Bambous, | 2.20 | 214 |
| Iles Soeurs | Grande Soeur Hotel | Petite Soeur | 1.18 | 2 |
| La Digue | La Passe | anse patates, cap bayard, grande anse, roche bois, L’ Union, La Reunion | 10.30 | 2800 |
| Marianne | Ans La Cour | Pointe aux Joncs, Pointe Grand Glacis | 0.97 | 0 |
| North | North Island Lodge | East Beach, West Beach (or Grande Anse), Honeymoon Cove, Dive Beach | 2.00 | 152 |
| Silhouette | La Passe | Grand Barbe, | 20.00 | 200 |
| Other Islands | Cocos | Recife | 0.29 | 0 |
| Outer Islands | (Coëtivy) | Desroches, D'Arros, Alphonse | 211.8 | 503 |
| Aldabra Group | Assumption west beach | Picard Island station, Aldabra anse mais, Aldabra anse var, | 178.24 | 12 |
| Aldabra | Picard Island station | anse mais, anse var, | 0. | 0 |
| Assumption | Assumption west beach | 0. | 12 | |
| Cosmoledo | 0. | 0 | ||
| Astove | 0. | 0 | ||
| Other Islands | 0. | 0 | ||
| Alphonse Group | Anse d’Est | Anse Sud | 2.2 | 84 |
| Alphonse | Anse d’Est | Anse Sud | 1.7 | 84 |
| St. François | 0.5 | 0 | ||
| Other Islands | 0. | 0 | ||
| Amirante Group | Desroches | D'Arros, Poivre Nord, Remire (Eagle), Marie Louise | 9.9 | 123 |
| D'Arros | The Estate | north beach | 1.5 | 42 |
| Desroches | south point village | northeast point, Bombe Bay, | 3.24 | 50 |
| Poivre | Poivre Nord | Poivre Sud | 2.48 | 10 |
| Remire (Eagle) | 0. | 6 | ||
| Marie Louise | North west point village | 0.53 | 15 | |
| Other Islands | 2.15 | 0 | ||
| Farquhar Group | Farquhar Anse Franc | Providence | 13.2 | 21 |
| Farquhar | Anse Franc | Vingt Cinq | 8.00 | 15 |
| Providence | 3.5 | 6 | ||
| St. Pierre Island | 1.6 | 0 | ||
| Other Islands | 0.1 | 0 | ||
| Southern Coral Group | Coëtivy | Ile Platte | 9.96 | 263 |
| Coëtivy | Coëtivy | 9.31 | 260 | |
| Platte | Île Platte | 0.65 | 3 | |
| Other Islands | 0.0 | 0 | ||
| Seychelles | Victoria | 459.0 | 90024 |
Extreme points
This is a list of the extreme points of Seychelles, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
- Northernmost point – Bird Island, Outer Islands district
- Easternmost point – Coëtivy Island, Outer Islands district
- Southernmost point - Goelette Island, Farquhar Group, Outer Islands district
- Westernmost point - West Island, Aldabra Islands, Outer Islands district
See also
Notes
References
Шаблон:Seychelles topics
Шаблон:Geography of Africa
Шаблон:Africa topic
- ↑ Werema, Gilbert. "Safeguarding Tourism and Tuna: Seychelles’ Fight against the Somali Piracy Problem." (2012).
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 4,00 4,01 4,02 4,03 4,04 4,05 4,06 4,07 4,08 4,09 4,10 4,11 4,12 4,13 4,14 4,15 4,16 4,17 4,18 4,19 4,20 4,21 4,22 4,23 4,24 4,25 4,26 4,27 4,28 4,29 4,30 Шаблон:Cite encyclopedia
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 6,0 6,1 Mart, Y. The tectonic setting of the Seychelles, Mascarene and Amirante plateaus in the western equatorial Indian Ocean, Marine Geology Vol. 79, Issues 3–4, March 1988, Pp. 261-274
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
