Amirantes Islands

Amirante Islands

Nickname: Ilhas do Almirante
Satellite Image Map, with neighbouring Alphonse Group in the lower left
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	Île Desroches
Area	11.5 km2 (4.4 sq mi)
Highest elevation	15 m (49 ft)
Administration
Seychelles
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	SCT (UTC+4)
Official website	www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands
ISO Code = SC-26

The Amirante Islands (Les Amirantes) are a group of coral islands and atolls that 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.