Granitic Seychelles

The Granitic Seychelles are the islands in the Seychelles which lie in central position on the Seychelles Bank and are composed of granite rock. They make up the majority of the Inner Islands, which in addition include the coral islands along of the rim of the Seychelles Bank, namely Bird Island and Denis Island.

There are mafic xenolith intrusions in the granite in some areas. The Granitic Seychelles are fragments of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, and have been separated from other continents for 75 million years. The Granitic Seychelles form the northernmost part of the Mascarene Plateau. Mahé is the largest and tallest island in the Seychelles, at 145 square km and up to 905 m elevation.

The Granitic Seychelles contrast with the Coralline Seychelles or Outer Islands, several island groups made up of low coral islands with dry, infertile soils.

The Granitic Seychelles are home to tropical moist forests, with several endemic species, including the coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica), and the jellyfish tree (Medusagyne oppositifolia).

There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, Ste. Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur, Thérèse, Aride, Conception, Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Ile aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Ile Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé), Chauve Souris (Praslin), Ile La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin), Zavé, Harrison Rocks (Grand Rocher).

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