Seychelles: The home to world’s largest seed and heaviest land tortoise
If you are someone who is always one step ahead of others when it comes to world news, you must know that the 17th edition of G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit 2022 is currently ongoing at the Indonesian capital Bali. This year’s motto is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.”
For those unaware, G20 is an intergovernmental forum established in 1990 and comprises of 19 permanent countries and the European Union (EU). It occurs once a year to discuss major global concerns such as global economic stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development among others. The permanent countries are India, USA, UK, Turkey, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Italy, France, Indonesia, Germany, China, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Argentina. Every year however, as part of the summit, several other countries are invited to be guests. This year, one such country was Seychelles.
In fact, for the first time in history, India has joined hands with this tiny East African island nation to develop connectivity, trade and cooperation between the two nations. This is part of India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. As we look forward to the inception of a strong relationship between our country and Seychelles, here are a few interesting facts about the later, that will surprise you for sure!
Seychelles: A sneak peek into the island country
Seychelles or the Republic of Seychelles is an archipelagic country located in East Africa comprising of 155 islands in the Indian Ocean, more specifically at the eastern side of the Somali Sea. Its largest and only city is the capital Victoria, that is situated 1500 kilometres off the coast of mainland Africa. Vitoria happens to be the smallest capital city in the world, which is so tiny that it can easily be explored by foot in half a day. Interestingly, Seychelles is the least populated sovereign African nation, with less than a lakh people dwelling there. They maintain their Creole heritage and even speak the native Creole language.
Seychelles was once a pirate hideout
If you look through historical records of Seychelles, they will tell you how it was an uninhabited island until the 18th century when the British set up their colonies with enslaved Africans. However, modern-day Seychellois (that’s what the people of Seychelles are called) will tell you the real story, once you land on this paradise of deep blue waters, exotic shores and an exciting marine life. So, what exactly is it?
Turns out that, between the 16th and 18th century, while the French and the British were still fighting for control over the island, real-life pirates took advantage of the situation. In absence of a proper government, pirates who traversed the Indian Ocean deemed Seychelles as a perfect private hideout. Their chosen spots? Anse Forbans (or Pirate’s Cove) on the island of Mahe and Cote d’Or on the island of Praslin. Believe it or not, an infamous pirate named Olivier Levasseur is even said to have hidden treasures worth over 160,000 dollars, that are still not found. Legends have it that his spirit still guards the buried treasure and can be felt in Saint Anne Marine National Park located in the Moyenne island of this archipelago.
Bonus fact: Seychelles became independent in 1976.
Seychelles: Abode of the heaviest land tortoise and largest seed
Being an island country, Seychelles has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. For instance, it is the only abode of world’s heaviest land tortoise called Esmeralda who weighs approximately 670 pounds (304kg) and lives in the Bird Island. The place is also home to the palm tree Lodoicea (Sea Coconut), which is endemic to Seychelles and produces ‘coco de mer’ or double coconut, a seed that is perhaps the largest in the world. The seed can weigh up to 33 pounds (15 kg). Also, Seychelles is home to some of the rarest of bird species that the world has witnessed. One example is the bare-legged Scops owl that was once considered to be extinct, until re-discovered in 1959. Wait, that’s not all. Seychelles is also the only place where a distinct nut-shaped fruit called breadfruit can be found and legends have it that anyone who consumes it, is bound to come back to the country. Now, that is fascinating, right?