Outer Islands (Seychelles)

Outer Islands
Map of the Seychelles with individual groups and atolls of the Outer Islands
Waters	Indian Ocean
Geographical location	5 ° 58 ′  S , 53 ° 3 ′  E Coordinates: 5 ° 58 ′  S , 53 ° 3 ′  E
Number of islands	9 atolls, 11 islands
Total land area	211.3 km²
Residents	1115 (2009)

As Outer Islands ( Zil Elwannyen Sesel , German  "Outer Islands" ) refers to the outside of the Seychelles Bank lying atolls , raised atolls and islands of the Republic of Seychelles . These are all of coralline origin. In contrast, the "Inner Islands" on the Seychelles Bank are made of granite (with the exception of Denis Island and Bird Island, which are on the northern edge of the Seychelles Bank). The Outer Islands are up to 1150 km away from the main island of Mahé and are spread over a sea area of ​​about 300,000 km².

There are five groups in the Outer Islands:

• The "Southern Coral Islands" Platte and Coëtivy , land area 10 km²
• The Amiranten (3 atolls, 3 upscale atolls, 5 islands), land area 9.9 km²
• The Alphonse Group (2 atolls), land area 3.7 km²
• The Farquhar Group (2 atolls, 1 island), land area 10.7 km²
• The Aldabra group (2 atolls, 2 islands), land area 176 km²

With a total of 211.3 km², the Outer Islands make up 46.44% of the land area of ​​the Seychelles, but only around 2% of the Seychelles' population live on them (1115 inhabitants, 2009 estimate). The islands consistently reach a height of only a few meters above sea level and have no natural freshwater sources.

The Seychelles Post issued separate stamp issues for the Outer Islands from July 1980 to November 1992, a total of 203 stamps and 8 stamp blocks. (Source: Michel catalog)

Outer Islands stamp pad depicting a giant Aldabra tortoise .

Geographically still part of the Outer Islands, but politically no longer part of the national territory of the Seychelles, the following island groups can also be counted:

• The Agalega Islands (belong to Mauritius )
• The Îles Glorieuses (belong to the French Îles éparses de l'océan India )

See also

• List of Seychelles Islands

Individual evidence

1. ↑ National Statistical Bulletin 2010 (PDF; English)