Amirante Islands
The Amirante Islands are a group of coral islands and atolls in the western Indian Ocean, forming part of Seychelles’ Outer Islands.
Seychelles: An island country in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar. The Amirantes belong to Seychelles and lie southwest of its granitic Inner Islands.
Fringing reef: A coral reef that grows close to a shore, with little or no intervening lagoon. Fringing reefs border some Amirante islands and protect their exposed shores.
Vasco da Gama: A Portuguese navigator who led the first European sea voyage from Europe to India around Africa. His voyages charted the Amirantes in the early sixteenth century.
Aldabra Group: A group of coral islands and atolls in Seychelles’ Outer Islands, including Aldabra Atoll. It provides a regional comparison for the remote coral islands of the Amirantes.
Desroches Island: A coral island in the Amirantes group of Seychelles, with a settlement and airstrip. Desroches is the group’s principal inhabited island and a notable tourism site.
Outer Islands of Seychelles: The low-lying coral islands and atolls of Seychelles, distinct from its granitic Inner Islands. The Amirantes form one of this wider island region’s principal groups.
Carbonate platform: A broad, shallow seafloor structure formed by the accumulation of carbonate sediment and organisms. The Amirante Bank is a submerged carbonate platform supporting reefs and islands.
Portuguese exploration: The maritime expansion of Portugal that connected Europe with Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Portuguese navigators recorded the island group during voyages across the Indian Ocean.
Aldabra Atoll: A large raised coral atoll in Seychelles, known for its extensive lagoon and giant tortoise population. Unlike the Amirantes, Aldabra is a single raised atoll with a major UNESCO-listed reserve.
Marie Louise Island: A low coral island in the southern Amirantes of Seychelles. Its small community illustrates the limited permanent settlement across the group.