North Island (Seychelles)
| North Island | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Waters | Indian Ocean | |
| Archipelago | Seychelles | |
| Geographical location | 4 ° 23 '35 " S , 55 ° 14' 39" E | |
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| length | 2.2 km | |
| width | 1.4 km | |
| surface | 2.01 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Grand Paloss 180 m |
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| Residents | 148 74 inhabitants / km² |
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| main place | (North Island Lodge) | |
North Island (also Île du Nord ) is the ninth largest island of the Inner Seychelles with 2.01 km² . It is located about five kilometers north of Silhouette Island and about 32 km northwest of Mahé , the main island of the Seychelles. Contrary to what the geographical location suggests, the island as well as the neighboring Silhouette Island belongs administratively to the district of La Digue and Inner Islands and is thus administered from the island of La Digue .
In 2003 the island was expanded into a private North Island Lodge holiday club with eleven guest houses.
geology
Geologically, North Island and Silhouette differ from the other islands of the Inner Seychelles. Both are made of about 63 million years old syenite of volcanic origin, while the granite of Mahé or Praslin is about 650 million years old.
history
North Island was the first Seychelles island to be visited by Europeans. In 1609, Alexander Sharpeigh reported to the British East India Company that there was a large colony of giant tortoises.
From 1826 to the 1970s, the island belonged to the Beaufond family from Réunion , who used it as a plantation for fruits and spices. Guano, fish oil and copra were also exported. After the plantation was sold, strange animals and plants spread to the unused island.
As part of the development of the resort, attempts were made to exterminate the alien species and to reintroduce native animals and plants and thus restore the island to its original state.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information about the island
- ↑ Michael J. Hill (Ed.): Biodiversity Surveys and Conservation Potential of Inner Seychelles Islands. ( Memento from September 18, 2009 in the Internet Archive ). Atoll Research Bulletin 495, July 2002 (PDF; 9.83 MB; English).