Seychelles

(Republic of Seychelles, Repiblik Sesel, République des Seychelles)

General Information:

• Location: Western Indian Ocean (off the coast of East Africa)
• Capital: Victoria
• Language(s): English, French, Seychellois Creole
• Population: 98,055
• Total Area: 450 sq km
• Currency: Seychellois Rupee
• Curious Alcohol Fact: There is a special lager called Seybrew (Seychelles Brew I guess). It is quite popular on the islands.
• Annual Average Liquor Consumption Per Capita: 10.55 liters
• Most Popular Drink(s): Seybrew, coconut milk

Travel Video

Video Courtesy: cessnagbdso

The Country

Beautiful Seychelles. This republic is actually an archipelago made up of almost 160 islands. The group is not too far from other African island nations like Madagascar and Comoros. The largest of the islands are Mahé, Silhouette Island and Praslin. Geologists have explained many of the islands were formed as a result of volcanic activity, and there are some others classified as coral islands. Interestingly, the climate sort of differs from island to island, although the differences may not be too clear. The capital of the nation is Victoria and is also the site of the presidential residence. For centuries, the Seychelles was subjected to colonial rule by France and the United Kingdom but became independent in 1976.

The People

A citizen of the country is called a Seychellois and in the Creole language, Seselwa. With a population that is less than 90,000, Seychelles is the least populated nation in Africa. One interesting thing with the Seychellois is that none of them can actually claim to be a native of the islands as their ancestors migrated to the islands unlike in the neighboring Madagascar where native tribes had inhabited the islands for thousands of years before the first colonial masters and explorers came. When the Seychelles was first sighted, the islands were uninhabited but migration took place over the years. Today, the population is an amazing blend of Africans, Indians, French and Chinese. A vast majority of the citizens are Christians while others adhere to Islam and Hinduism.

Eating

While eating on the islands of Seychelles, you cannot but observe the diversity and this can be related to the different races in the nation. Thus, there are meals with different flavors –Chinese, African, Indian and French. However, irrespective of the dish that you end up taking, you will always notice the use of spices, and that is the practice on almost all the islands. Seafood also features prominently in the foods and that is not unexpected of a nation that is right in the middle of an ocean. Thus, you can always get your octopus soup or delicious fish stew at affordable prices. Understandably, beef is not popular but getting chicken is not a problem.

Drinking

When it comes to what to drink, the islanders sure know how to take care of visitors. From chilled bottles of Seybrew (regarded as the national beer) to a sizzling cup of coffee, the choice is yours. You will also find a special drink irresistible, and that is common to most of the islands situated in the tropical regions. Without much ado, the drink is the legendary coconut milk. It is refreshing and delicious but you should not attempt to climb a coconut tree to get a coconut unless you are lucky enough to find a coconut tree that is not too tall. Some are so low that you can jump and pick some coconuts!

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