How Were the Seychelles Formed?
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High mountain peaks and balmy coral islets abound in this far-flung island group in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles are scattered across the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) east of the historic African port of Mombasa, Kenya. Located just south of the equator, they are noted for their lush tropical beauty and their flourishing production of spices and oils for fragrant perfumes.
Of the 85 or so islands that make up the group, about 40 are mountainous masses of granite that rise steeply from the sea. The rest are low-lying coral islets. Small fishing villages are stretched out along the narrow coastal lowlands of the granitic islands. Inland they are dominated by rugged chains of forested mountain peaks. The highest crest, Morne Seychellois on Mahe, the largest of the islands, reaches 2,993 feet (912 meters) above the sea. The fertile soil in the lowlands supports plantations devoted to the production of coconuts, vanilla beans, cinnamon, and patchouli oil, a popular perfume essence.
The coral islands are flat, sandy, and much smaller than the granitic islands. They were once covered by thick layers of guano, most of which has been mined for fertilizer. Coconuts remain the major crop. The coral islands are also notable for their fringing reefs, inhabited by a wealth of colorful fish and other kinds of exotic marine life.
The granitic islands of the Seychelles were long a puzzle to geologists, since oceanic islands are generally either volcanic or coralline in origin. The ancient granitic rocks of the Seychelles, in contrast, are of the same type that underlies the continents, and there are no traces of volcanic activity. It is now believed that the islands and the undersea platform beneath them were once attached to Madagascar and were torn away by the restless shifting of the earth’s crustal plates.
Among the unusual native wildlife are such rarities as the Praslin black parrot and the giant land tortoise. One of the strangest plants is the coco de mer, a palm that produces bizarre double coconuts weighing as much as 40 pounds (18 kilograms). Anna writes the Prague Holiday guide and loves travelling.
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