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Amirantes

Amirante Islands
Nickname: Ilhas do Almirante
Amirantes-Sat.png
Satellite Image Map, with neighbouring Alphonse Group in the lower left
Amirante Islands is located in Seychelles
Amirante Islands
Amirante Islands
Location of Amirante Islands in Seychelles
Geography
Location Indian Ocean
Coordinates 04°49′S 53°40′E / 4.817°S 53.667°E / -4.817; 53.667Coordinates: 04°49′S 53°40′E / 4.817°S 53.667°E / -4.817; 53.667
Archipelago Seychelles
Adjacent bodies of water Indian Ocean
Total islands 20
Major islands
Area 11.5 km2 (4.4 sq mi)
Highest elevation 15 m (49 ft)
Administration
Group Outer Islands
Sub-Group Amirante Islands
Districts Outer Islands District
Largest settlement
Île Desroches
(population 40)
Demographics
Demonym Creole
Population 300 (2014)
Pop. density 26 /km2 (67 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Creole, French, East Africans, Indians.
Additional information
Time zone
Official website www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands
ISO Code = SC-26

The Amirante Islands (Les Amirantes), a group of coral islands and atolls, belong to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles.

They stretch about 155 km from the African Banks (African Islands) in the north to Desnœufs (Isle des Noeufs) in the south, all on the shallow Amirantes Bank (Amirantes Plateau, with depths of mostly 25 to 70 m), except the main island Île Desroches in the east, and submerged Lady Denison-Pender Shoal at the northern end. 90 km south of the Amirante Islands is Alphonse Group, the closest group of islands, which are sometimes incorrectly considered part of the Amirantes.

The Amirantes were discovered by Vasco da Gama on his second voyage of exploration in 1502, and named "Ilhas do Almirante" (Admiral Islands). Previous knowledge of the islands by Arab and Indian traders is possible. Along with the Seychelles, the islands were first claimed by France in 1742. Formal possession was asserted in 1756. By the Treaty of Paris (1814), the islands were passed officially to the British, as a part of Mauritius. In 1909, the Seychelles became a separate colony, thereby including the Amirantes. On November 8, 1965, the United Kingdom split Île Desroches from the Seychelles to become part of the newly created British Indian Ocean Territory. The purpose was to allow the construction of a military base for the mutual benefit of the United Kingdom and the United States. On June 23, 1976, Île Desroches was returned to the Seychelles as a result of it attaining independence.


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Wikipedia

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