Alphonse group
| Alphonse group | ||
|---|---|---|
 Above the Alphonse Atoll , below the Saint François Atoll |
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| Waters | Indian Ocean | |
| Geographical location | 7 ° 5 ′ S , 52 ° 44 ′ E | |
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| Number of islands | 2 atolls | |
| Total land area | 1.936 km² | |
| Residents | 82 (2002-08-22) | |
The Alphonse Group is a group of islands which belongs to the Republic of the Seychelles . It is located in the Indian Ocean about 403 km southwest of the largest island Mahé and 87 km south of the Amiranten . Within the Seychelles, the Alphonse Group is one of the so-called Outer Islands .
The archipelago was discovered on January 28, 1730 by the knight Alphonse de Pontevez , the commander of the French frigate Le Lys .
The group consists of two atolls , the Alphonse Atoll in the north, named after the discoverer of the archipelago, as well as and the St. François Atoll in the South, named after Saint Francis de Sales ( Saint François de Sales ).
The total land area of all islands in the group is 1.936 km², the area including the lagoons about 53 km². The Alphonse Atoll is inhabited and has a small airfield, the Saint-François Atoll is uninhabited and can be reached by boat from Alphonse.