Seychelles is likely on your bucket list. There’s a lot going for it – it has beautiful beaches, warm weather all year round, and even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, honeymooned there. But there are lots of other facts worth knowing about the beautiful archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
Click start to play today’s Crossword, where you can identify the largest island in the Seychelles in 4-Down.
Did you know Seychelles was once full of saltwater crocodiles? They became extinct in the area by 1819, but can still be spotted from time to time. Here are a few other fascinating facts about Seychelles:
1. It has no indigenous people
The Seychelles was uninhabited until 1770, when French settlers arrived with their slaves. Prior to that, pirates used the islands as bases or stopovers. Today, people from multiple ethnicities – from Europe, Africa, and India – call the Seychelles home.
2. It’s over 99 per cent water
The exclusive economic zone of the Seychelles, as prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is 1,374,000 square kilometres. Of that, only 459 square kilometres comprises landmass across all 115 islands – that’s just 0.03 per cent land! Most of Seychelles’ islands are uninhabited and 90 per cent of the population live on Mahe island.
3. Home to the biggest tortoise in the world
Esmeralda (who is male, contrary to his name’s connotations), is the world’s largest tortoise, at nearly 300kg. The Aldabra giant tortoise is indigenous to Seychelles and is 170 years old. He currently lives on Bird Island.
4. It might hide buried treasure
The treasure of French pirate Olivier Levasseur, who was known as La Buse (the buzzard), is thought to be somewhere on Mahe island. There is plenty of folklore surrounding the tale of his treasure, which involves a cryptograph from La Buse, pirate markings on rock, and even small amounts of part of the treasure already uncovered in various places around the island.
5. It has two World Heritage Sites
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has identified 257 natural World Heritage Sites, and Seychelles is home to two of them. The Valee de Mai Nature Reserve and Aldabra Atoll are listed for their outstanding natural beauty and are home to several endangered species, such as giant tortoises. The Aldabra Atoll is the world’s second largest coral atoll!
Have you been to or are planning to go to Seychelles? Play today’s Crossword and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
