The most interesting facts about Seychelles, from the original Garden of Eden to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Seychelles
Population: 98,187
Area: 455 sq km
Capital city: Victoria
Major languages: Seychellois Creole, English, French
Major religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant
Time zone: UTC+4 (Seychelles Time)
Interesting facts about Seychelles
1. Seychelles is an island nation in Africa, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Kenya and northeast of Madagascar.
2. The Seychelles is made up of 115 island.
3. Known for its beaches, marine life and luxury holidays, Seychelles attracted over 350,000 tourists annually according to pre-pandemic data from 2017-2019. However, the tourism industry experienced a sharp decline, with recent figures showing between 124,500 and 185,000 visitors in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
4. Seychelles was uninhabited before being discovered by Europeans in the early 16th century. As such, there are no indigenous people in Seychelles.
5. Seychelles is named after Jean Moreau de Sechelles who was the French finance minister in 1756. It was named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas Morphey.
6. The largest and most developed island of Seychelles is Mahe, which is home to around 90% of the population and the capital city of Victoria.
7. Seychelles was controlled by France (annexed in 1756) until the colony was ceded to Britain in 1814.
8. In 1976, Seychelles become independent with James Mancham as president and France Rene as prime minister as its first leaders.
9. The Seychelles flag is made up of blue, yellow, red, white and green rays spreading from the bottom left corner. Blue represents the sky and sea, yellow the sun, red the people and their work, white social justice and harmony, and green the land and natural environment.
10. Seychelles has been isolated from the mainland for 75 million years and as such now host a unique collection of flora and fauna. The islands were once part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwanaland.
11. As such, Seychelles has been described as “the original site of the Garden of Eden”. British Army officer General Gordon of Khartoum made the claim after he visited in 1881. He was specifically referring to the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai on the island of Praslin.
12. Seychelles is home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises. Over 150,000 live on the UNESCO-listed Aldabra Atoll.
13. Located on Praslin island, the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai is an area of palm forest which remains largely unchanged since prehistoric times.
14. The air quality in Seychelles depends on multiple factors, such as the wind speed and precipitation. At times, it is excellent, but at other times, it can cause symptoms for sensitive groups.
15. The Seychelles is home to the coco-de-mer (also known as the sea coconut) which bears the largest seed in the plant kingdom.
16. Seychelles has some of the world’s top alcohol consumers per capita. On average, a person consumes 9.48 liters, making it the 28th top consumer of 189 countries in 2019.
17. The capital of Seychelles was originally called L’etablissement when it was founded in 1778 by French colonists. The settlement was renamed in 1841 by the British after Queen Victoria.
18. Seychelles is the smallest African country in terms of both area and population.
19. Seychells is home the world’s largest land-dwelling arthropod. The Coconut Crab has been nicknamed ‘Crabzilla’ as it can grow up to 1m (3.3ft) in size and weigh up to 4.1kg (9lb) and can even open cocnuts.
20. Seychelles is the richest country in Africa when measured by GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). It is also ranked as having a high standard of human development at 68th place in 2024.
21. Legend has it, buried treasure is hidden in Seychelles believed to be worth $130 million. 18th century French pirate Olivie Levasseur, known as La Buse (“The Buzzard”), is said to have hidden his treasure in Seychelles. Reginald Herbert Cruise-Wilkins spent 27 years searching for the treasure until his 1977 death. Since then, his son John has spent over 50 years continuing the search.
22. During the early 21st century, Somalia pirates began using Seychelles as a safe haven. Prate sightings and attacks were regularly reported as well as the kidnapping of the British couple while they were sailing the islands.
23. Spead across 1.35 million sq km (521,000 sq miles) of ocean, Seychelles is over 99% water.
24. Seychelles is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world to visit. In 2022, it was assessed as carrying an ‘insignificant travel security risk’.
25. Over the last five years, Seychelles has progressed from protecting 0.04% to 30% of its national waters, covering 410,000 sq km (158,000 sq miles) of ocean – an area larger than Germany.
26. Curried fruit bat is considered a local delicacy in Seychelles.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.