Zil Elwagne Sesel / Zil Elwannyen Sesel

The Outer Islands of the Seychelles (Corraline Sechelles, local name: Zil Elwagne Sesel) is a collective term for those islands of the Seychelles that are not on the shallow Seychelles Bank (Seychelles Plateau) which defines the location of the Inner Islands (or Granitic Seychelles). They are located at distances of 230 to 1150 km from the main Seychelles island of Mahé, and are all of coral formation. The islands are outside the administrative and electoral Districts of Seychelles.

The coral islands are flat with elevated coral reefs at different stages of formation. They are generally low-lying, and often form atolls around a central lagoon. The soils of the corraline Seychelles are generally sandy and infertile, and hold little fresh water. The lack of natural fresh water sources and infertile soils of these islands can sustain human life only with difficulty. The Granitic Seychelles, by contrast, are composed of granite, and are ancient fragments of continental crust. They are generally more mountainous and humid.

The Outer Islands are comprised of five groups:

Aldabra Group (Aldabra Atoll, Assumption Island, Cosmoledo Atoll, Astove Island)

Alphonse Group (Alphonse Atoll and St. François Atoll (Bijoutier-St. François))

Amirante Islands (3 atolls, 5 single sand cays, 3 uplifted sand cays)

Farquhar Group (Farquhar Atoll, Providence Atoll (Providence-Cerf), St. Pierre Island)

Southern Coral Group (Île Platte and Coëtivy Island)

From 1968 to 1976 the islands were part of the British Indian Ocean Territory but were transferred to the Seychelles when the islands became independent.

On 20 June 1980, stamps were issued inscribed Zil Eloigne Sesel. These were sold from the m.v. Cinque Juin which operated as a travelling post office. From 1982 to 1984 stamps were inscribed Zil Elwagne Sesel and from 1984 to 1992 Zil Elwannyen Sesel.

Capital: -

Government: part of the Seychelles

Area: 211,3 km²

Population: 1.600 (1990)

Currency: Seychellois rupee (100 cents)

Internet TLD: .sc

Dialling code: +248

Links

Zil Elwagne Sesel (Outer Islands) in Wikipedia.

Flag of Seychelles from 1977 to 1996 in Flags of the World.

Country description of Seychelles from the BBC.

Country description of Seychelles from the CIA.

Stamp catalogue

World Heritage

date: 19 November 1982

designer: Harrison

printer: Format International Security Printers, London

perforated: 14¼

1 40 c coral island with birds, UNESCO emblem, text "ALDABRA - A WORLD / HERITAGE SITE /

ALDABRA - UN SITE / DU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 40/SG 42/Yvert 57)

2 R 2.75 map of Aldabra, UNESCO emblem, text "ALDABRA - A WORLD / HERITAGE SITE /

ALDABRA - UN SITE / DU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 41/SG 43/Yvert 58)

3 R 7.00 giant tortoises, UNESCO emblem, text "ALDABRA - A WORLD / HERITAGE SITE /

ALDABRA - UN SITE / DU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 42/SG 44/Yvert 59)

World Tourism Day

date: 27 September 1983

designer: C. Wilby

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14¼

4 50 c female windsurfer, WTO emblem, text "WORLD TOURISM DAY - 27 SEPTEMBER 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 66/SG 69/Yvert 83)

5 R 2 island resort, WTO emblem, text "WORLD TOURISM DAY - 27 SEPTEMBER 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 67/SG 70/Yvert 84)

6 R 3 couple walking on a beach, WTO emblem, text "WORLD TOURISM DAY - 27 SEPTEMBER 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 68/SG 71/Yvert 85)

7 R 10 sunset over a coral island, WTO emblem, text "WORLD TOURISM DAY - 27 SEPTEMBER 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 69/SG 72/Yvert 86)

World Heritage

date: 30 March 1984

designer: L. Curtis

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14

8 50 c map of Aldabra, postmark 'ALDABRA / World / Heritage Site / 30 MAR / 1984 / SEYCHELLES",

text "RE-OPENING OF ALDABRA POST OFFICE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 76/SG 70/Yvert 93)

9 R 2.75 Aldabra rail (Dryolimnas aldabranus), text "RE-OPENING OF ALDABRA POST OFFICE" and "Aldabra

Rail"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 77/SG 71/Yvert 94)

10 R 3 Aldabra Giant tortoises (Geochelone gigantea), text "RE-OPENING OF ALDABRA POST OFFICE" and

"Giant Tortoise"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 78/SG 72/Yvert 95)

11 R 5 Red-footed booby (Sula sula), text "RE-OPENING OF ALDABRA POST OFFICE" and

"Red-footed Booby"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 79/SG 73/Yvert 96)

World Heritage

date: 19 November 1992

designer: Derek Miller

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14½:14¼

12 R 1.50 Aloe plant (Lomatophyllum aldabrense), text "10th. Anniversary of / Aldabra World Heritage

Site" and "Lomatophyllum aldabrense"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 200/SG 245/Yvert 216)

13 R 3 Aldabra white-thorated rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus), text "10th. Anniversary of /

Aldabra World Heritage Site" and "Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 201/SG 246/Yvert 217)

14 R 3.50 Coconut crab (Birgus latro), text "10th. Anniversary / Aldabra World Heritage Site" and

"Birgus latro"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 202/SG 247/Yvert 218)

15 R 10 Aldabra drongo (Dicrurus aldabranus), text "10th. Anniversary of / Aldabra World Heritage Site"

and "Dicrurus aldabranus"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 203/SG 248/Yvert 219)

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last revised: 22 September 2008