Farquhar Atoll

Farquhar Atoll

Farquhar Atoll Location of Farquhar Atoll in Seychelles
Geography
Location	Indian Ocean
Coordinates	10°10′S 51°08′E / 10.167°S 51.133°E / -10.167; 51.133Coordinates: 10°10′S 51°08′E / 10.167°S 51.133°E / -10.167; 51.133
Archipelago	Seychelles
Adjacent bodies of water	Indian Ocean
Total islands	11
Major islands	North Island South Island
Area	8.357 km2 (3.227 sq mi)
Highest elevation	23 m (75 ft)
Administration
Seychelles
Group	Outer Islands
Sub-Group	Farquhar Group
Districts	Outer Islands District
Largest settlement	Grande Poste (population 20)
Demographics
Demonym	Creole
Population	20 (2014)
Pop. density	2.4 /km2 (6.2 /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 Farquhar Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands. It is located 770 kilometres (478 miles) southwest of the capital, Victoria, on Mahé Island.

The atoll was named in honor of Robert Townsend Farquhar in 1824. Previous visitors had named it after Portuguese explorer João da Nova who commanded that nation’s third expedition to India during which he encountered Farquhar (in the year 1504). Administration of the atoll was a grey area for many years, with both Mauritius and Seychelles claiming the right to administer it. In 1881 the authorities in Seychelles suggested Farquhar, along with several other outer islands, be administered from Victoria in Seychelles rather than from Mauritius. There were objections as the owners were based in Mauritius but after considerable argument, the owners lost their case and administration was passed from Mauritius to Seychelles. Fishing camps were established on north islands in 1850 In 1960, the village on the northern tip of South Island was abandoned. From 1965 to the independence of the Seychelles in 1976, Farquhar was a part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. In 2004 there were renovations in the village. In 2014 Island Conservation Society opened a Conservation Centre on North Island. On April 16 of 2016, Farquhar Atoll was hit by Cyclone Fantala, the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the south-west Indian Ocean, which destroyed most of the buildings except for the cyclone shelter.

The atoll is located at 10°10′S 51°08′E / 10.167°S 51.133°E / -10.167; 51.133. It is the most southerly part of the Seychelles. The total area of the atoll, including the large lagoon, is 170.5 square kilometres (65.8 square miles). The land area is 8.357 square kilometres (3.2 square miles). Farquhar Atoll is notable for its high sand dunes, some of which reach to over 23 metres (75 feet) in height.