Monday, December 31, 2007
Seychelles Islands - Roche Canon Island
Roche Canon Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Chauve Souris Island
Chauve Souris Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Vache Marine Island
Vache Marine Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Ile aux Vaches Island
Ile aux Vaches Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - L'Ilot Island
L'Ilot Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Frégate Island
Frégate Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Ile aux Récifs Island
Ile aux Récifs Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Seychelles Islands - Mamelles Island
Mamelles Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Ile du Nord Island
Ile du Nord Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Seychelles Islands - Silhouette Island
Silhouette Island lies 20 km northwest of Mahé in the Seychelles. It is the third largest island in the Seychelles. It has an area of 20 km and has a population of 135, mostly workers on the island. The main settlement is La Passe, where there is a hotel for visitors to Silhouette. The name Silhouette was given after Etienne de Silhouette (1709-1767), the French minister of finances under Louis XV.
The island is mountainous with five peaks over 500 meters in elevation; Mont Dauban (740m), Mont-Pot-a-Eau (621m), Gratte Fesse (515m) Mont Corgat (502m) and Mont Cocos Marrons (500m). As such it has some of the most dramatic scenery of the islands.
From the 19th century until 1960, the island was owned by the Dauban family from Mauritius. They planted fruit trees and coconut palms on Silhouette. The Dauban plantation house has recently been restored.
Silhouette Island is situated within a Marine National Park and is dedicated to environmental protection. It is one of the richest biodiversity hot-spots in the western Indian Ocean with many endemic and threatened plant and animal species. The island has a large area of primeval forest and supports the last known roosts of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis. The island is an Important Bird Area and is considered by the Alliance for Zero Extinction to be an important site for the survival of Critically Endangered species. The Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles manages conservation on the island and has a breeding centre for the extinct-in-the-wild Seychelles giant tortoises and Arnold's Giant Tortoises. In December 2006, the latter species was re-established in the wild. Conservation of the island is managed by the Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.
The island is surrounded by a rich marine environment, including a coral barrier reef and granit cliffs. The coral habitats are exceptionally healthy and there are many good diving sites, although strong currents make limit swimming or water-sports. On a clear day, one can experience spectacular views of the north coast of Mahé.
The granitic island is reputedly a site of mediaeval graves of passing Arab sailors, although purported Arab graves date back only 200 years. Also there is a legend in the Seychelles that pirate Jean-Francois Hodoul buried his treasure on Silhouette Island.
Wikipedia - Silhouette Island
The island is mountainous with five peaks over 500 meters in elevation; Mont Dauban (740m), Mont-Pot-a-Eau (621m), Gratte Fesse (515m) Mont Corgat (502m) and Mont Cocos Marrons (500m). As such it has some of the most dramatic scenery of the islands.
From the 19th century until 1960, the island was owned by the Dauban family from Mauritius. They planted fruit trees and coconut palms on Silhouette. The Dauban plantation house has recently been restored.
Silhouette Island is situated within a Marine National Park and is dedicated to environmental protection. It is one of the richest biodiversity hot-spots in the western Indian Ocean with many endemic and threatened plant and animal species. The island has a large area of primeval forest and supports the last known roosts of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis. The island is an Important Bird Area and is considered by the Alliance for Zero Extinction to be an important site for the survival of Critically Endangered species. The Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles manages conservation on the island and has a breeding centre for the extinct-in-the-wild Seychelles giant tortoises and Arnold's Giant Tortoises. In December 2006, the latter species was re-established in the wild. Conservation of the island is managed by the Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.
The island is surrounded by a rich marine environment, including a coral barrier reef and granit cliffs. The coral habitats are exceptionally healthy and there are many good diving sites, although strong currents make limit swimming or water-sports. On a clear day, one can experience spectacular views of the north coast of Mahé.
The granitic island is reputedly a site of mediaeval graves of passing Arab sailors, although purported Arab graves date back only 200 years. Also there is a legend in the Seychelles that pirate Jean-Francois Hodoul buried his treasure on Silhouette Island.
Wikipedia - Silhouette Island
Seychelles Islands - Ile la Fouche Island
Ile la Fouche Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Ile aux Cocos Island
Ile aux Cocos Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Petite Soeur Island
Petite Soeur Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Grande Soeur Island
Grande Soeur Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Marianne Island
Marianne Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - Félicité Island
Félicité Island is an island located in the Seychelles Archipelago, Africa. Seychelles is off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles Islands - La Digue Island
La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe (linked by ferry to Praslin and Mahé) and La Réunion. It has an area of 10 sq km. La Digue is named after a ship in the fleet of French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne, who visited the Seychelles in 1768.
Today the island's main industry is tourism and is known for its beaches especially Anse Source d'Argent. In former times copra and vanilla production were mainstays of the local economy; which is commemorated in the island's museum. In the island's interior is Veuve Nature Reserve, home of the rare Black Paradise Flycatcher, of which there are only about 100 in existence. La Digue's tallest peak is also in the central part of the island, Belle Vue (Eagle's Nest Mtn) which is over 300 meters above sea level.
Wikipedia - La Digue Island
Today the island's main industry is tourism and is known for its beaches especially Anse Source d'Argent. In former times copra and vanilla production were mainstays of the local economy; which is commemorated in the island's museum. In the island's interior is Veuve Nature Reserve, home of the rare Black Paradise Flycatcher, of which there are only about 100 in existence. La Digue's tallest peak is also in the central part of the island, Belle Vue (Eagle's Nest Mtn) which is over 300 meters above sea level.
Wikipedia - La Digue Island
Africa Islands - Seychelles Islands
Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an archipelago nation of 155 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 km east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest, and the Suvadives of the Maldives to the northeast. Seychelles has the smallest population of any sovereign state of Africa. History Colonial Governor of the Seychelles inspecting police guard of honour in 1972Main article: History of SeychellesWhile Austronesian seafarers or Arab traders may have been the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles, the first recorded sighting of them took place in 1502, by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama, who passed through the Amirantes and named them after himself (islands of the Admiral). The first recorded landing and first written account was by the crew of the English East Indiaman Ascension in 1609. As a transit point for trading between Africa and Asia, they were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control of the islands starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid by Captain Nicholas Morphey. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV’s Minister of Finance.
The British contested control over the islands with the French between 1794 and 1812. Jean Baptiste Queau de Quincy, French administrator of Seychelles during the years of war with the United Kingdom, declined to resist when armed enemy warships arrived. Instead, he successfully negotiated the status of capitulation to Britain, which gave the settlers a privileged position of neutrality.
Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1812 and this was formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. The Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903 and independence was granted in 1976, as a republic within the Commonwealth. In 1977, a coup d'etat ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham, replacing him with France Albert René. The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991. The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60 percent of voters in 1992, but in 1993 an amended version was approved.
Politics
The Seychelles president, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The previous president, France Albert René, first came to power in a coup d'état in 1977, one year after independence. He was democratically elected after the constitutional reforms of 1992. He stood down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel, who was re-elected in 2006. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature.
State House, Victoria - the seat of the PresidentThe unicameral Seychellois parliament, the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, consists of 34 members, of whom 25 are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining 9 seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.
Politics is a topic of hot debate in the country - with many claiming there is an uneven playing field between the two leading parties.
The Seychelles are part of the Indian Ocean Commission.
Geography
Berjaja Mahé Beach Beau Vallon BeachMain article: Geography of SeychellesAn island nation, Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) east of Kenya. The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155. The islands as per the Constitution are divided into various groups as follows.
There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. 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).
There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics: Denis, Bird.
There are two coral islands south of the granitics: Coëtivy, Platte.
There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitics: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising 3 islands : Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands: St. Joseph Ile aux Fouquets, Ressource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Ile Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Ile aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (comprising 2 islands: African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. Franois, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier.
There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-south west of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands: Bancs de Sable Déposés Ile aux Goëlettes Lapins Ile du Milieu North Manaha South Manaha Middle Manaha North Island and South Island), Providence Atoll (comprising two islands: Providence and Bancs Providence) and St Pierre.
There are 67 raised coral islands in the Aldabra Group, west of the Farquhar Group: Aldabra Atoll(comprising 46 islands : Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Ile Michel, Ile Esprit, Ile aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Ile Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Cèdres, Iles Chalands, Ile Fangame, Ile Héron, Ile Michel, Ile Squacco, Ile Sylvestre, Ile Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock and Table Ronde), Assumption, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands: (Menai, Ile du Nord (West North), Ile Nord-Est (East North), Ile du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Ile (Wizard), Pagode, Ile du Sud-Ouest (South), Ile aux Moustiques, Ile Baleine, Ile aux Chauve-Souris, Ile aux Macaques, Ile aux Rats, Ile du Nord-Ouest, Ile Observation, Ile Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix.
Administrative divisions The famous clock tower in the centre of Victoria, capital of Seychelles.Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions, called districts:
Anse aux Pins Anse Boileau Anse Etoile Anse Royale Au Cap Baie Lazare Baie Sainte Anne Beau Vallon Bel Air Bel Ombre Cascade Glacis Grand' Anse (Mahe) Grand' Anse (Praslin) La Misere La Digue La Riviere Anglaise Les Mamelles Mont Buxton Mont Fleuri Plaisance Pointe La Rue Port Glaud Roche Caiman Saint Louis Takamaka Economy
Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labour force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services.
At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-1992 due largely to the country's significantly overvalued exchange rate, the Gulf War and once again following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatisation of public enterprises. The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, insurance, banking, imports of basic products, telecommunications, and a wide range of other businesses.
Growth slowed in 1998-2001, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychellois rupee is anywhere from two thirds to one half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as tourists seek cheaper destinations such as nearby Comoros and Madagascar. A reduction in the number of flights serving the country, primarily due to the inability by airline companies to repatriate funds, has also constrained the growth of the tourism industry. The recent entry of Emirates and Qatar airlines has yet to result in increased growth.
At official exchange rates Seychelles remains the richest country in Africa in terms of GDP per capita. (US$7,504 as of 2005), although if the parallel exchange rate, or purchasing power parity rates, are used, it ranks behind Mauritius and Botswana. Because of economic contraction (the economy declined by about 2% in 2004 and 2005 and is set to decline by at least the same level in 2006) the country is moving downwards in terms of per capita income.
It is important to note that Seychelles is, per capita, the most highly indebted country in the world according to the World Bank, with total public debt around 122.8% of GDP. Approximately two thirds of this debt is owed domestically, with the balance due to multi laterals, bi laterals, and commercial banks. The country is in arrears to most of its international creditors and has had to resort to pledged commercial debt to continue to be able to borrow. This high debt burden is a direct consequence of the overvalued exchange rate in essence, the country is living beyond its means, and financing its lifestyle by borrowing domestically and internationally.
The Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA) is charged with overseeing the quickly growing offshore industry. Seychelles is home to a number of offshore incorporation specialists including firms like Sterling Offshore Ltd., a Seychelles based firm of legal and business consultants specialising in offshore company formation, mutual funds, hedge funds and captive insurance.
Seychelles is the smallest nation in the world issuing its own currency (i.e., not pegged to a foreign currency and not shared with any other country).
Demographics
See also: Indo-Seychellois, Sino-Seychellois, Seychellois Creole People, Seychellois Creole, and Franco-Seychellois Victoria, Seychelles.As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The largest ethnic groups are those of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent. French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is primarily based upon French. Most Seychellois are Christians; the Roman Catholic Church is the predominant denomination.
CultureMusic of Seychelles The folk music of the islands incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion, including English contredanse, polka and mazurka, French folk and pop, sega from Mauritius and Réunion, taarab, soukous and other pan-African genres, and Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian music. A complex form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga developed by Patrick Victor.
As of 1992, some ninety percent of the population was Roman Catholic and approximately seven percent Anglican. Although clergy and civil authorities disapprove, many Seychellois see little inconsistency between their orthodox religious observance and belief in magic, witchcraft, and sorcery.
Flora and Fauna Palm spider, Seychelles.In common with many fragile island ecosysytems, the early human history of Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, felling of coastal and mid-level forests and extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on other islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation (since 1770). The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna.
Arguably the first scientific study of Seychelles was that of the Marion Dufresne expedition in 1768, two years prior to settlement. Dufresne instructed Duchemin, captain of the vessel La Digue, to ...especially give the greatest attention to the study and prospects of all the species of inland productions such as trees, bushes, plants, herbs, quadruped animals, birds, insects, freshwater fish, stones, soil, minerals. Nothing is unimportant. You must not avoid giving details and descriptions- everything is worthy of attention. Their observations remain an intriguing window on Seychelles prior to human interference.
Subsequent to settlement, Fairfax Moresby’s hydrographic survey in 1822, was the first scientific study in the islands, while early collectors included those of Pervillé, Wright and Mobius during the early to mid nineteenth century. The first major avian collector was Newton in 1865 followed by Lantz in 1877, both in the granitics. Abbott collected in the granitics in 1890 and in the Aldabra group in 1893. Voeltzkow also made general natural history collections on Aldabra in 1895.
In 1882, Coppinger made extensive collections and observations. Several expeditions followed, most significant of which was the Percy Sladen Expedition aboard Sealark in 1905, when Gardiner made extensive collections in the granitics and outer islands. His collections for some islands remain the only records available into the 21st century.
Studies subsequent to Gardiner were sparse up to the 1950s, though some residents of Seychelles made valuable contributions, notably Dupont, Thomasset, Baty and Vesey Fitzgerald. Visiting oceanographic expeditions also made some collections. In the 1950s, Smith conducted a major study of marine fish, while Cousteau also visited in 1954 aboard Calypso. Legrand collected Lepidoptera in the 1950s, while the Bristol University expedition of 1964-65 focussed on birds and insects.
The contribution of Royal Society to the knowledge of Aldabra from 1966 is legendary and work on Aldabra continued under the custodianship of Seychelles Islands Foundation In more modern times, International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP, now BirdLife International) conducted a great deal of research on Cousin Island. In the second half of the 1980s and during the 1990s, many reports and published papers for the granitics were the result of work conducted on Aride Island first by Royal Society for Nature Conservation (now Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts) and then by the local NGO Island Conservation Society, summarized in Annual Reports from 1987 to the present. Extensive scientific research is carried out since the 1990s and much of this is published in Seychelles in the scientific journal Phelsuma (published by Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.
Vallée de MaiAlthough many of the conservation laws date back to British colonial days, the Seychelles government has strictly protected the natural heritage of the islands for many years. Flagship species, the Seychelles Magpie Robin and the Seychelles Warbler, have been spectacularly rescued from the brink of extinction by BirdLife International, Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, Island Conservation Society, Nature Seychelles, private islands (Fregate and Denis) and the Government of Seychelles. These birds, once restricted to one island each, have been translocated to many others. Seychelles has 12 endemic bird species. These are the Aldabra Drongo, Seychelles Magpie robin, Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, Seychelles Fody, Seychelles Scops-owl, Seychelles White-eye, Seychelles Swiftlet, Seychelles Kestrel, Seychelles Blue Pigeon Seychelles Bulbul, Seychelles Warbler and Seychelles Sunbird.
Seychelles is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites run by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. They are the atoll of Aldabra, which is the world's largest raised coral atoll and also the Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, billed as the original site of the Garden of Eden. The Cousin Island Special Reserve, purchased by Royal Society for Nature Conservation in 1968 and managed by Nature Seychelles, is an internationally-known bird and marine sanctuary which has won several awards for conservation and ecotourism. Seychelles has six national marine parks including the St. Anne National Marine Park located adjacent to the capital, Port Victoria which are managed by the government parastatal, Marine Parks Authority. Much of the land territory (about 40%) and a substantial part of the coastal sea around Seychelles are protected as National Parks, including Marine Parks, and Reserves.
Coco de Mer (Praslin)A World Bank/Environment Facility project in 1999 and a project for rat eradication has led to a programme of restoration of private islands by the government, Nature Seychelles and private island owners. These islands include Fregate, Denis and Cousine. The management of these islands now employ full time conservation officers and fund conservation programmes. The island restoration program has now been taken to the outer islands by the Island Conservation Society, with the first Island Conservation Centre opened at Alphonse Atoll in 2007. Island Conservation Society has also implemented other conservation programmes on islands including Conception, North Island, Cosmoledo Atoll and Farquhar Atoll.
The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species, with a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the Coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the 'love nut' because of its suggestive shape, the coco-de-mer is the world's largest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the Wrights Gardenia found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.
Giant Tortoise (Dipsochelys hololissa)The giant tortoises from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. It was has been reported that the granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises, the status of the different populations is currently unclear.
Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Islands such as Bird, Aride Island, Cousin, Aldabra and Cosmoledo host many species of seabirds including the sooty tern, fairy tern, white-tailed tropicbird, noddies and frigatebirds. Aride Island has more species of seabird and greater numbers than the other 40 granite islands combined including the world's largest colony of Audubon's Shearwater and Lesser Noddy.
The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (e.g. Silhouette Island. The reefs comprise a vast selection of soft corals and hard corals alike. There is great diving and snorkeling opportunity. The taking of marine turtles was completely stopped in 1994, turtle populations are now recovering on several protected islands, most notably Cousin Island, Aride Island, Silhouette Island and Aldabra. However, they continue to decline at unprotected sites. The use of gill nets for shark fishing as well as the practice of shark finning are now banned.
Wikipedia - Seychelles
The British contested control over the islands with the French between 1794 and 1812. Jean Baptiste Queau de Quincy, French administrator of Seychelles during the years of war with the United Kingdom, declined to resist when armed enemy warships arrived. Instead, he successfully negotiated the status of capitulation to Britain, which gave the settlers a privileged position of neutrality.
Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1812 and this was formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. The Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903 and independence was granted in 1976, as a republic within the Commonwealth. In 1977, a coup d'etat ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham, replacing him with France Albert René. The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991. The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60 percent of voters in 1992, but in 1993 an amended version was approved.
Politics
The Seychelles president, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The previous president, France Albert René, first came to power in a coup d'état in 1977, one year after independence. He was democratically elected after the constitutional reforms of 1992. He stood down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel, who was re-elected in 2006. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature.
State House, Victoria - the seat of the PresidentThe unicameral Seychellois parliament, the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, consists of 34 members, of whom 25 are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining 9 seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.
Politics is a topic of hot debate in the country - with many claiming there is an uneven playing field between the two leading parties.
The Seychelles are part of the Indian Ocean Commission.
Geography
Berjaja Mahé Beach Beau Vallon BeachMain article: Geography of SeychellesAn island nation, Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) east of Kenya. The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155. The islands as per the Constitution are divided into various groups as follows.
There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. 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).
There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics: Denis, Bird.
There are two coral islands south of the granitics: Coëtivy, Platte.
There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitics: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising 3 islands : Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands: St. Joseph Ile aux Fouquets, Ressource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Ile Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Ile aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (comprising 2 islands: African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. Franois, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier.
There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-south west of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands: Bancs de Sable Déposés Ile aux Goëlettes Lapins Ile du Milieu North Manaha South Manaha Middle Manaha North Island and South Island), Providence Atoll (comprising two islands: Providence and Bancs Providence) and St Pierre.
There are 67 raised coral islands in the Aldabra Group, west of the Farquhar Group: Aldabra Atoll(comprising 46 islands : Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Ile Michel, Ile Esprit, Ile aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Ile Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Cèdres, Iles Chalands, Ile Fangame, Ile Héron, Ile Michel, Ile Squacco, Ile Sylvestre, Ile Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock and Table Ronde), Assumption, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands: (Menai, Ile du Nord (West North), Ile Nord-Est (East North), Ile du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Ile (Wizard), Pagode, Ile du Sud-Ouest (South), Ile aux Moustiques, Ile Baleine, Ile aux Chauve-Souris, Ile aux Macaques, Ile aux Rats, Ile du Nord-Ouest, Ile Observation, Ile Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix.
Administrative divisions The famous clock tower in the centre of Victoria, capital of Seychelles.Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions, called districts:
Anse aux Pins Anse Boileau Anse Etoile Anse Royale Au Cap Baie Lazare Baie Sainte Anne Beau Vallon Bel Air Bel Ombre Cascade Glacis Grand' Anse (Mahe) Grand' Anse (Praslin) La Misere La Digue La Riviere Anglaise Les Mamelles Mont Buxton Mont Fleuri Plaisance Pointe La Rue Port Glaud Roche Caiman Saint Louis Takamaka Economy
Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labour force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services.
At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-1992 due largely to the country's significantly overvalued exchange rate, the Gulf War and once again following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatisation of public enterprises. The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, insurance, banking, imports of basic products, telecommunications, and a wide range of other businesses.
Growth slowed in 1998-2001, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychellois rupee is anywhere from two thirds to one half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as tourists seek cheaper destinations such as nearby Comoros and Madagascar. A reduction in the number of flights serving the country, primarily due to the inability by airline companies to repatriate funds, has also constrained the growth of the tourism industry. The recent entry of Emirates and Qatar airlines has yet to result in increased growth.
At official exchange rates Seychelles remains the richest country in Africa in terms of GDP per capita. (US$7,504 as of 2005), although if the parallel exchange rate, or purchasing power parity rates, are used, it ranks behind Mauritius and Botswana. Because of economic contraction (the economy declined by about 2% in 2004 and 2005 and is set to decline by at least the same level in 2006) the country is moving downwards in terms of per capita income.
It is important to note that Seychelles is, per capita, the most highly indebted country in the world according to the World Bank, with total public debt around 122.8% of GDP. Approximately two thirds of this debt is owed domestically, with the balance due to multi laterals, bi laterals, and commercial banks. The country is in arrears to most of its international creditors and has had to resort to pledged commercial debt to continue to be able to borrow. This high debt burden is a direct consequence of the overvalued exchange rate in essence, the country is living beyond its means, and financing its lifestyle by borrowing domestically and internationally.
The Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA) is charged with overseeing the quickly growing offshore industry. Seychelles is home to a number of offshore incorporation specialists including firms like Sterling Offshore Ltd., a Seychelles based firm of legal and business consultants specialising in offshore company formation, mutual funds, hedge funds and captive insurance.
Seychelles is the smallest nation in the world issuing its own currency (i.e., not pegged to a foreign currency and not shared with any other country).
Demographics
See also: Indo-Seychellois, Sino-Seychellois, Seychellois Creole People, Seychellois Creole, and Franco-Seychellois Victoria, Seychelles.As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The largest ethnic groups are those of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent. French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is primarily based upon French. Most Seychellois are Christians; the Roman Catholic Church is the predominant denomination.
CultureMusic of Seychelles The folk music of the islands incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion, including English contredanse, polka and mazurka, French folk and pop, sega from Mauritius and Réunion, taarab, soukous and other pan-African genres, and Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian music. A complex form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga developed by Patrick Victor.
As of 1992, some ninety percent of the population was Roman Catholic and approximately seven percent Anglican. Although clergy and civil authorities disapprove, many Seychellois see little inconsistency between their orthodox religious observance and belief in magic, witchcraft, and sorcery.
Flora and Fauna Palm spider, Seychelles.In common with many fragile island ecosysytems, the early human history of Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, felling of coastal and mid-level forests and extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on other islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation (since 1770). The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna.
Arguably the first scientific study of Seychelles was that of the Marion Dufresne expedition in 1768, two years prior to settlement. Dufresne instructed Duchemin, captain of the vessel La Digue, to ...especially give the greatest attention to the study and prospects of all the species of inland productions such as trees, bushes, plants, herbs, quadruped animals, birds, insects, freshwater fish, stones, soil, minerals. Nothing is unimportant. You must not avoid giving details and descriptions- everything is worthy of attention. Their observations remain an intriguing window on Seychelles prior to human interference.
Subsequent to settlement, Fairfax Moresby’s hydrographic survey in 1822, was the first scientific study in the islands, while early collectors included those of Pervillé, Wright and Mobius during the early to mid nineteenth century. The first major avian collector was Newton in 1865 followed by Lantz in 1877, both in the granitics. Abbott collected in the granitics in 1890 and in the Aldabra group in 1893. Voeltzkow also made general natural history collections on Aldabra in 1895.
In 1882, Coppinger made extensive collections and observations. Several expeditions followed, most significant of which was the Percy Sladen Expedition aboard Sealark in 1905, when Gardiner made extensive collections in the granitics and outer islands. His collections for some islands remain the only records available into the 21st century.
Studies subsequent to Gardiner were sparse up to the 1950s, though some residents of Seychelles made valuable contributions, notably Dupont, Thomasset, Baty and Vesey Fitzgerald. Visiting oceanographic expeditions also made some collections. In the 1950s, Smith conducted a major study of marine fish, while Cousteau also visited in 1954 aboard Calypso. Legrand collected Lepidoptera in the 1950s, while the Bristol University expedition of 1964-65 focussed on birds and insects.
The contribution of Royal Society to the knowledge of Aldabra from 1966 is legendary and work on Aldabra continued under the custodianship of Seychelles Islands Foundation In more modern times, International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP, now BirdLife International) conducted a great deal of research on Cousin Island. In the second half of the 1980s and during the 1990s, many reports and published papers for the granitics were the result of work conducted on Aride Island first by Royal Society for Nature Conservation (now Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts) and then by the local NGO Island Conservation Society, summarized in Annual Reports from 1987 to the present. Extensive scientific research is carried out since the 1990s and much of this is published in Seychelles in the scientific journal Phelsuma (published by Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.
Vallée de MaiAlthough many of the conservation laws date back to British colonial days, the Seychelles government has strictly protected the natural heritage of the islands for many years. Flagship species, the Seychelles Magpie Robin and the Seychelles Warbler, have been spectacularly rescued from the brink of extinction by BirdLife International, Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, Island Conservation Society, Nature Seychelles, private islands (Fregate and Denis) and the Government of Seychelles. These birds, once restricted to one island each, have been translocated to many others. Seychelles has 12 endemic bird species. These are the Aldabra Drongo, Seychelles Magpie robin, Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, Seychelles Fody, Seychelles Scops-owl, Seychelles White-eye, Seychelles Swiftlet, Seychelles Kestrel, Seychelles Blue Pigeon Seychelles Bulbul, Seychelles Warbler and Seychelles Sunbird.
Seychelles is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites run by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. They are the atoll of Aldabra, which is the world's largest raised coral atoll and also the Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, billed as the original site of the Garden of Eden. The Cousin Island Special Reserve, purchased by Royal Society for Nature Conservation in 1968 and managed by Nature Seychelles, is an internationally-known bird and marine sanctuary which has won several awards for conservation and ecotourism. Seychelles has six national marine parks including the St. Anne National Marine Park located adjacent to the capital, Port Victoria which are managed by the government parastatal, Marine Parks Authority. Much of the land territory (about 40%) and a substantial part of the coastal sea around Seychelles are protected as National Parks, including Marine Parks, and Reserves.
Coco de Mer (Praslin)A World Bank/Environment Facility project in 1999 and a project for rat eradication has led to a programme of restoration of private islands by the government, Nature Seychelles and private island owners. These islands include Fregate, Denis and Cousine. The management of these islands now employ full time conservation officers and fund conservation programmes. The island restoration program has now been taken to the outer islands by the Island Conservation Society, with the first Island Conservation Centre opened at Alphonse Atoll in 2007. Island Conservation Society has also implemented other conservation programmes on islands including Conception, North Island, Cosmoledo Atoll and Farquhar Atoll.
The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species, with a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the Coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the 'love nut' because of its suggestive shape, the coco-de-mer is the world's largest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the Wrights Gardenia found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.
Giant Tortoise (Dipsochelys hololissa)The giant tortoises from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. It was has been reported that the granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises, the status of the different populations is currently unclear.
Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Islands such as Bird, Aride Island, Cousin, Aldabra and Cosmoledo host many species of seabirds including the sooty tern, fairy tern, white-tailed tropicbird, noddies and frigatebirds. Aride Island has more species of seabird and greater numbers than the other 40 granite islands combined including the world's largest colony of Audubon's Shearwater and Lesser Noddy.
The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (e.g. Silhouette Island. The reefs comprise a vast selection of soft corals and hard corals alike. There is great diving and snorkeling opportunity. The taking of marine turtles was completely stopped in 1994, turtle populations are now recovering on several protected islands, most notably Cousin Island, Aride Island, Silhouette Island and Aldabra. However, they continue to decline at unprotected sites. The use of gill nets for shark fishing as well as the practice of shark finning are now banned.
Wikipedia - Seychelles
Senegal Islands - Morfil Island
Morfil (French: Ile à Morfil; literally, "Ivory Island") lies between the River Senegal and the Doué River in northern Senegal.
Around the eleventh century, Morfil was the centre of Tekrur, one of the first Islamic sub-Saharan states. As such, it was an important centre of trans-Saharan trade. The island later became part of the Ghana Empire, then the Mali Empire, and was finally conquered by the French. It is named for the elephants which once roamed the island, but are now locally extinct. The main towns on the island are Podor and Salde.
Wikipedia - Morfil Island
Around the eleventh century, Morfil was the centre of Tekrur, one of the first Islamic sub-Saharan states. As such, it was an important centre of trans-Saharan trade. The island later became part of the Ghana Empire, then the Mali Empire, and was finally conquered by the French. It is named for the elephants which once roamed the island, but are now locally extinct. The main towns on the island are Podor and Salde.
Wikipedia - Morfil Island
Senegal Islands - Iles de Madeleines Island
Iles de Madeleines Island is an island located in Senegal, Africa. ( West coast of Africa).
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Senegal Islands - Gorée Island
Île de Gorée Island is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a 0.182 km (45 acres) island located a mere 1 km. at sea from the main harbor of Dakar.
Its population as of 31 January 2005 official estimates is 1,056 inhabitants, giving a density of 5,802 inh. per km² (15,028 inh. per sq. mile), which is only half the average density of the city of Dakar. Gorée is both the smallest and the least populated of the 19 communes d'arrondissement of Dakar.
Gorée is famous as a former center of the Atlantic slave trade from where many Africans were deported to the Americas.
History and slave tradeGorée is a small island 900 m in length and 350 m in width sheltered by the Cape Vert Peninsula. Now part of the city of Dakar, it served for many centuries as one of the principal factories in the triangular trade between Africa, Europe and the Americas. Being almost devoid of drinking water, the island was not settled prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Portuguese were the first to establish a presence on Gorée (c. 1450), building a small stone chapel there and using it as a cemetery.
Gorée is best known as the location of the House of Slaves (French: Maison des esclaves), built by an Afro-French Métis family c. 1780 - 1784, one of the houses of slaves that were used as a holding and transfer point for human cargo during the slave trade. The House of Slaves is one of the oldest houses on the island. It is now a popular tourist destination. Well known in the western world, Gorée was actually just one of the many places from where slave trade was conducted, and in fact it was much smaller than the island of Zanzibar on the East African coast which was the largest center of the slave trade carried out by the Arabs. Zanzibar is arguably the largest slave trading center ever to have existed.
The island of Gorée was one of the first places in Africa to be settled by Europeans, the Portuguese setting foot on the island in 1444. Later it was captured by the United Netherlands in 1588, then the Portuguese again, again the Dutch — who named it after the Dutch island of Goeree — the British under Robert Holmes in 1664 and then eventually the French in 1677. The island remained continuously French until 1960 when Senegal was granted independence, with only brief periods of English occupation during the various wars fought by France and England between 1677 and 1815.
Gorée was principally a trading post, administratively attached to Saint Louis, capital of the Colony of Senegal. Apart from slaves, beeswax, hides and grain were also traded. The population of the island (not counting slaves in transit) fluctuated according to circumstances, from a few hundred free Africans and Creoles to about 1,500. There would have been few European residents at any one time. In the 18th and 19th century Gorée was home to a Franco-African Creole, or Métis, community of merchants with links to similar communities in Saint Louis and south to the Gambia and beyond. Métis women, called "signares" from the Portuguese "senhora", were especially important to the city’s business life. The signares owned ships and property and commanded male clerks. They were also famous for cultivating fashion and entertainment.
The first house of slaves was built by the Portuguese in 1536. After the French conquest in 1677, the slave trade from Gorée was essentially in the hands of the rich merchant families of Bordeaux and Nantes in France, alongside other Europeans such as the Dutch. The tremendous prosperity of Nantes in the 18th century was based in a large measure on slave trade. The Black slaves from Gorée were destined essentially to the French colonies in the Caribbean (prominently Haiti) and in Louisiana, as well as to the Spanish colonies (Cuba essentially) and to the Portuguese colonies in Brazil (some of which had been originally settled by the Dutch). It should be noted that contrary to legend, very few African Americans from the U.S. have ancestors who went through Gorée, as the English colonists had other sources of "import" for their slaves. Those who can with most certainty consider Gorée as a transit point for their ancestors are the African Americans whose family are from the south of Louisiana, some of which actually still speak some sort of French (see Louisiana Creole people). As African Americans have migrated a lot throughout the US in the last 100 years, it can be difficult to know with certainty which Black family was originally from French Louisiana. A good rule of thumb is religion: any Black American from the USA whose family is Catholic (traditionally, not recently converted) is very likely descending from Black slaves imported by the French colonists through Gorée.
Schley, Jacobus van der, 1715-1779. Island of Gorée and its fortificationsIn February 1794, during the French Revolution, France was the first country in the world to abolish slavery (with the exception of a few precedents set by some US states such as Massachusetts), and so the slave trade from Gorée stopped. However, in May 1802 Napoleon reestablished slavery after intense lobbying from the sugar plantations' owners of the Caribbean départements of France, who found precious support in the very wife of Napoleon, Joséphine de Beauharnais, daughter of a rich plantation owner from Martinique. In March 1815, during his political comeback known as the Hundred Days, Napoleon definitely abolished slave trade in order to ingratiate himself with Britain (Scotland had never recognized slavery and England finally abolished slavery in 1807) and this time the abolition was not reversed. Thus, Gorée officially stopped to be a slave trading point in 1815. In reality, however, the abolition of slave trade was not effectively enforced by the French government, and a clandestine slave trade remained active until 1848, when the newly founded Second Republic finally abolished slavery for good in all the territories under French sovereignty.
As the trade in slaves declined, Gorée converted to legitimate commerce. The tiny city and port were however ill situated for the shipment of industrial quantities of peanuts which began arriving in bulk from the continent. Consequently, its merchants established a presence directly on the mainland, first in Rufisque (1840) and then in Dakar (1857) and many of the established families started to leave the island.
Civic franchise for the citizens of Gorée was institutionalized in 1872, when it (along with its dependency of Dakar until the latter was detached in 1887) became a French “commune” with an elected mayor and a municipal council. Blaise Diagne, the first African deputy elected to the French National Assembly (served 1914 to 1934) was born on Gorée. From a peak of about 4,500 in 1845, the population fell to 1,500 in 1904. In 1940 Gorée was annexed to the municipality of Dakar.
Gorée is connected to the mainland by regular 30-minute ferry service-pedestrians only; there are no cars on the island. It is Senegal’s premier tourist site and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It and now serves mostly as a memorial to the slave trade. The built-up urban core of the island is entirely geared to tourism and many of the historic commercial and residential buildings have been turned into restaurants and hotels.
Administration
Map of GoréeWith the foundation of Dakar in 1857, Gorée gradually lost its importance. In 1872, the French colonial authorities created the two communes of Saint-Louis and Gorée, the first western-style municipalities in West Africa, with exactly the same status as any commune in France. Dakar, on the mainland, was part of the commune of Gorée, whose administration was located on the island. However, as early as 1887, Dakar was detached from the commune of Gorée and was turned into a commune in its own right. Thus, the commune of Gorée became limited to its tiny island.
In 1891, Gorée still had 2,100 inhabitants, while Dakar only had 8,737 inhabitants. However, by 1926 the population of Gorée had declined to only 700 inhabitants, while the population of Dakar had increased to 33,679 inhabitants. Thus, in 1929 it was decided to merge Gorée with Dakar. The commune of Gorée disappeared, and Gorée was now only a small island of the commune of Dakar.
In 1996, a massive reform of the administrative and political divisions of Senegal was voted by the Parliament of Senegal. The commune of Dakar, deemed too large and too populated to be properly managed by a central municipality, was divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement to which extensive powers were given. The commune of Dakar was maintained above these 19 communes d'arrondissement, and it coordinates the activities of the communes d'arrondissement, much as Greater London coordinates the activities of the London boroughs.
Thus, in 1996 the commune of Gorée was resurrected, although it is now only a commune d'arrondissement (but in fact with powers quite similar to a commune). The new commune d'arrondissement of Gorée, which is officially known in French as the Commune d'Arrondissement de l'île de Gorée, retook possession of the old mairie (town hall) in the center of the island, which had been used as the mairie of the former commune of Gorée between 1872 and 1929.
The commune d'arrondissement of Gorée is ruled by a municipal council (conseil municipal) democratically elected every 5 years, and by a mayor elected by members of the municipal council.
The current mayor of Gorée is Augustin Senghor, elected in 2002.
Island historical sitesOther attractions on the island include three museums, one dedicated to women, one to the history of Senegal and one to the sea; the seventeenth century Gorée Police Station, Gorée Castle and a small beach.
The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeological research on the historical occupation of Gorée has been recently undertaken by Dr Ibrahima Thiaw (Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire (IFAN), and the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar, Senegal), Dr Susan Keech McIntosh (Professor of Archaeology, Rice University, Houston, Texas), and Raina Croff (PhD candidate at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut). Dr Shawn Murray (University of Wisconsin-Madison, and SWCA Environmental Consultants, Inc) also contributed to the archaeological research at Gorée through a modern study of the local and introduced trees and shrubs of the island, which aids in identifying the ancient plant remains found in the excavations.
Wikipedia - Gorée Island
Its population as of 31 January 2005 official estimates is 1,056 inhabitants, giving a density of 5,802 inh. per km² (15,028 inh. per sq. mile), which is only half the average density of the city of Dakar. Gorée is both the smallest and the least populated of the 19 communes d'arrondissement of Dakar.
Gorée is famous as a former center of the Atlantic slave trade from where many Africans were deported to the Americas.
History and slave tradeGorée is a small island 900 m in length and 350 m in width sheltered by the Cape Vert Peninsula. Now part of the city of Dakar, it served for many centuries as one of the principal factories in the triangular trade between Africa, Europe and the Americas. Being almost devoid of drinking water, the island was not settled prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Portuguese were the first to establish a presence on Gorée (c. 1450), building a small stone chapel there and using it as a cemetery.
Gorée is best known as the location of the House of Slaves (French: Maison des esclaves), built by an Afro-French Métis family c. 1780 - 1784, one of the houses of slaves that were used as a holding and transfer point for human cargo during the slave trade. The House of Slaves is one of the oldest houses on the island. It is now a popular tourist destination. Well known in the western world, Gorée was actually just one of the many places from where slave trade was conducted, and in fact it was much smaller than the island of Zanzibar on the East African coast which was the largest center of the slave trade carried out by the Arabs. Zanzibar is arguably the largest slave trading center ever to have existed.
The island of Gorée was one of the first places in Africa to be settled by Europeans, the Portuguese setting foot on the island in 1444. Later it was captured by the United Netherlands in 1588, then the Portuguese again, again the Dutch — who named it after the Dutch island of Goeree — the British under Robert Holmes in 1664 and then eventually the French in 1677. The island remained continuously French until 1960 when Senegal was granted independence, with only brief periods of English occupation during the various wars fought by France and England between 1677 and 1815.
Gorée was principally a trading post, administratively attached to Saint Louis, capital of the Colony of Senegal. Apart from slaves, beeswax, hides and grain were also traded. The population of the island (not counting slaves in transit) fluctuated according to circumstances, from a few hundred free Africans and Creoles to about 1,500. There would have been few European residents at any one time. In the 18th and 19th century Gorée was home to a Franco-African Creole, or Métis, community of merchants with links to similar communities in Saint Louis and south to the Gambia and beyond. Métis women, called "signares" from the Portuguese "senhora", were especially important to the city’s business life. The signares owned ships and property and commanded male clerks. They were also famous for cultivating fashion and entertainment.
The first house of slaves was built by the Portuguese in 1536. After the French conquest in 1677, the slave trade from Gorée was essentially in the hands of the rich merchant families of Bordeaux and Nantes in France, alongside other Europeans such as the Dutch. The tremendous prosperity of Nantes in the 18th century was based in a large measure on slave trade. The Black slaves from Gorée were destined essentially to the French colonies in the Caribbean (prominently Haiti) and in Louisiana, as well as to the Spanish colonies (Cuba essentially) and to the Portuguese colonies in Brazil (some of which had been originally settled by the Dutch). It should be noted that contrary to legend, very few African Americans from the U.S. have ancestors who went through Gorée, as the English colonists had other sources of "import" for their slaves. Those who can with most certainty consider Gorée as a transit point for their ancestors are the African Americans whose family are from the south of Louisiana, some of which actually still speak some sort of French (see Louisiana Creole people). As African Americans have migrated a lot throughout the US in the last 100 years, it can be difficult to know with certainty which Black family was originally from French Louisiana. A good rule of thumb is religion: any Black American from the USA whose family is Catholic (traditionally, not recently converted) is very likely descending from Black slaves imported by the French colonists through Gorée.
Schley, Jacobus van der, 1715-1779. Island of Gorée and its fortificationsIn February 1794, during the French Revolution, France was the first country in the world to abolish slavery (with the exception of a few precedents set by some US states such as Massachusetts), and so the slave trade from Gorée stopped. However, in May 1802 Napoleon reestablished slavery after intense lobbying from the sugar plantations' owners of the Caribbean départements of France, who found precious support in the very wife of Napoleon, Joséphine de Beauharnais, daughter of a rich plantation owner from Martinique. In March 1815, during his political comeback known as the Hundred Days, Napoleon definitely abolished slave trade in order to ingratiate himself with Britain (Scotland had never recognized slavery and England finally abolished slavery in 1807) and this time the abolition was not reversed. Thus, Gorée officially stopped to be a slave trading point in 1815. In reality, however, the abolition of slave trade was not effectively enforced by the French government, and a clandestine slave trade remained active until 1848, when the newly founded Second Republic finally abolished slavery for good in all the territories under French sovereignty.
As the trade in slaves declined, Gorée converted to legitimate commerce. The tiny city and port were however ill situated for the shipment of industrial quantities of peanuts which began arriving in bulk from the continent. Consequently, its merchants established a presence directly on the mainland, first in Rufisque (1840) and then in Dakar (1857) and many of the established families started to leave the island.
Civic franchise for the citizens of Gorée was institutionalized in 1872, when it (along with its dependency of Dakar until the latter was detached in 1887) became a French “commune” with an elected mayor and a municipal council. Blaise Diagne, the first African deputy elected to the French National Assembly (served 1914 to 1934) was born on Gorée. From a peak of about 4,500 in 1845, the population fell to 1,500 in 1904. In 1940 Gorée was annexed to the municipality of Dakar.
Gorée is connected to the mainland by regular 30-minute ferry service-pedestrians only; there are no cars on the island. It is Senegal’s premier tourist site and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It and now serves mostly as a memorial to the slave trade. The built-up urban core of the island is entirely geared to tourism and many of the historic commercial and residential buildings have been turned into restaurants and hotels.
Administration
Map of GoréeWith the foundation of Dakar in 1857, Gorée gradually lost its importance. In 1872, the French colonial authorities created the two communes of Saint-Louis and Gorée, the first western-style municipalities in West Africa, with exactly the same status as any commune in France. Dakar, on the mainland, was part of the commune of Gorée, whose administration was located on the island. However, as early as 1887, Dakar was detached from the commune of Gorée and was turned into a commune in its own right. Thus, the commune of Gorée became limited to its tiny island.
In 1891, Gorée still had 2,100 inhabitants, while Dakar only had 8,737 inhabitants. However, by 1926 the population of Gorée had declined to only 700 inhabitants, while the population of Dakar had increased to 33,679 inhabitants. Thus, in 1929 it was decided to merge Gorée with Dakar. The commune of Gorée disappeared, and Gorée was now only a small island of the commune of Dakar.
In 1996, a massive reform of the administrative and political divisions of Senegal was voted by the Parliament of Senegal. The commune of Dakar, deemed too large and too populated to be properly managed by a central municipality, was divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement to which extensive powers were given. The commune of Dakar was maintained above these 19 communes d'arrondissement, and it coordinates the activities of the communes d'arrondissement, much as Greater London coordinates the activities of the London boroughs.
Thus, in 1996 the commune of Gorée was resurrected, although it is now only a commune d'arrondissement (but in fact with powers quite similar to a commune). The new commune d'arrondissement of Gorée, which is officially known in French as the Commune d'Arrondissement de l'île de Gorée, retook possession of the old mairie (town hall) in the center of the island, which had been used as the mairie of the former commune of Gorée between 1872 and 1929.
The commune d'arrondissement of Gorée is ruled by a municipal council (conseil municipal) democratically elected every 5 years, and by a mayor elected by members of the municipal council.
The current mayor of Gorée is Augustin Senghor, elected in 2002.
Island historical sitesOther attractions on the island include three museums, one dedicated to women, one to the history of Senegal and one to the sea; the seventeenth century Gorée Police Station, Gorée Castle and a small beach.
The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeological research on the historical occupation of Gorée has been recently undertaken by Dr Ibrahima Thiaw (Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire (IFAN), and the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar, Senegal), Dr Susan Keech McIntosh (Professor of Archaeology, Rice University, Houston, Texas), and Raina Croff (PhD candidate at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut). Dr Shawn Murray (University of Wisconsin-Madison, and SWCA Environmental Consultants, Inc) also contributed to the archaeological research at Gorée through a modern study of the local and introduced trees and shrubs of the island, which aids in identifying the ancient plant remains found in the excavations.
Wikipedia - Gorée Island
Africa Islands - Senegal
Senegal (French: le Sénégal), officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. The Republic of Gambia lies almost entirely within Senegal, surrounded on the north, east and south; from its western coast, Gambia's territory follows the Gambia River more than 300 kilometres (186 miles) inland. Dakar is the capital city of Senegal, located on the Cape Verde Peninsula, on the country's Atlantic coast. HistoryArchaeological findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times. Since then, Senegal has had a varied cultural history of kingdoms, brotherhoods and colonial struggles (between and against colonizing powers).
Eastern Senegal was once part of the Empire of Ghana. It was founded by the Tukulor in the middle valley of the Senegal River. Islam, the dominant religion in Senegal, first came to the region in the 11th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the Mandingo empires to the east; the Jolof Empire of Senegal also was founded during this time.
Various European powers - Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain - competed for trade in the area from the 15th century onward, until in 1677, France ended up in possession of what had become an important slave trade departure point - the infamous island of Gorée next to modern Dakar. Millions of West African tribespeople were shipped from here. It was only in the 1850s that the French began to expand their foothold onto the Senegalese mainland, at the expense of native kingdoms such as Waalo, Cayor, Baol, and Jolof.
In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on August 20. Senegal and Sudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed independence. Léopold Senghor was elected Senegal's first president in September 1960.
After the breakup of the Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister Mamadou Dia governed together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962, their political rivalry led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia. Although this was put down without bloodshed, Dia was arrested and imprisoned, and Senegal adopted a new constitution that consolidated the president's power. In 1980, President Senghor decided to retire from politics, and he handed power over in 1981 to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf.
Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on February 1, 1982. However, the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.
Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened. Diouf served four terms as president. In the presidential election of 2000, opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade defeated Diouf in an election deemed free and fair by international observers. Senegal experienced its second peaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another. On December 30, 2004 President Abdoulaye Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with the separatist group in the Casamance region. This, however, has yet to be implemented. There was a round of talks in 2005, but the results did not yet yield a resolution.
Politics Abdoulaye Wade, current president of Senegal.Senegal is a republic with a powerful presidency; the president is elected every seven years, amended in 2001 to every five years, by universal adult suffrage. The current president is Abdoulaye Wade, re-elected in March, 2007.
Senegal has more than 80 political parties. The unicameral National Assembly has 120 members elected separately from the president. An independent judiciary also exists in Senegal. The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president.
Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being one of the more successful post-colonial democratic transitions in Africa. Local administrators are appointed by, and responsible to, the president. The marabouts, religious leaders of the various Senegalese Muslim brotherhoods, also exercise a strong political influence in the country, most notably the leader of the Mouride brotherhood, Serigne Saliou Mbacke.
Geography Map of SenegalSenegal is located on the west of the African continent. The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the western Sahel which rise to foothills in the southeast. Here is also found Senegal's highest point, an otherwise unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha at 584 m. (1926 ft.) The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, other rivers include the Gambia and Casamance Rivers. The capital Dakar lies on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa.
The local climate is tropical with well-defined dry and humid seasons that result from northeast winter winds and southwest summer winds. Dakar's annual rainfall of about 600mm (24 in) occurs between June and October when maximum temperatures average 27°C (80.6°F); December to February minimum temperatures are about 17°C (62.6°F). Interior temperatures are higher than along the coast, and rainfall increases substantially farther south, exceeding 1.5m (59.1 in) annually in some areas.
The Cape Verde islands lie some 560 kilometers (348 mi) off the Senegalese coast, but Cap Vert ("Cape Green") is a maritime placemark, set at the foot of "Les Mammelles" , a 105m cliff resting at one end of the Cap Vert peninsula onto which is settled Senegal's capital Dakar, and 1km south of the "Pointe des Almadies", the western-most point in Africa.
Economy Street vendorsIn January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform programme with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50 percent devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the former French franc and now to the euro. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform programme, with real growth in GDP averaging 5 % annually during 1995-2001. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%, but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997.
The main industries include food processing, mining, cement, artificial fertilizer, chemicals, textiles, refining imported petroleum, and tourism. Exports include fish, chemicals, cotton, fabrics, groundnuts, and calcium phosphate, and the principal foreign market is India at 26.7% of exports (as of 1998). Other foreign markets include the USA, Italy, and the UK.
Shops near the road in Dakar.As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a mini-boom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, socioeconomic disparity, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction.
Demographics Senegal's population, 1962-2004Senegal has a population of over 11 million, about 70 percent of whom live in rural areas. Density in these areas varies from about 77 per km in the west-central region to 2 per km in the arid eastern section.
EthnicitySenegal has a wide variety of ethnic groups and, as in most West African countries, several languages are widely spoken. The Wolof are the largest single ethnic group in Senegal at 43%; the Peul and Toucouleur (also known as Halpulaar, Fulbe or Fula) (24%) are the second biggest group, followed by others that include the Serer (15%), Lebou (10%), Jola (4%), Mandinka (3%), Maures or Naarkajors, Soninke, Bassari and many smaller communities (9%). (See also the Bedick ethnic group.) About 50,000 Europeans (1%) (mostly French) as well as smaller numbers of Mauritanians and Lebanese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities. Also located primarily in urban settings are the minority Vietnamese communities. From the time of earliest contact between Europeans and Africans along the coast of Senegal, particularly after the establishment of coastal trading posts during the fifteenth century, communities of mixed African and European (mostly French and Portuguese) origin have thrived. Cape Verdeans living in urban areas and in the Casamance region represent another recognized community of mixed African and European background. French is the official language, used regularly by a minority of Senegalese educated in a system styled upon the colonial-era schools of French origin (Koranic schools are even more popular, but Arabic is not widely spoken outside of this context of recitation). Most people also speak their own ethnic language while, especially in Dakar, Wolof is the lingua franca. Pulaar is spoken by the Peuls and Toucouleur. Portuguese Creole is a prominent minority language in Ziguinchor, regional capital of the Casamance, where some residents speak Kriol, primarily spoken in Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verdeans speak their native creole, Cape Verdean Creole, and standard Portuguese.
ReligionIslam is the predominant religion, practiced by approximately 95 percent of the country's population; the Christian community, at 4 percent of the population, includes Roman Catholics and diverse Protestant denominations. There is also a 1% population who maintain animism in their beliefs, particularly in the southeastern region of the country.
Islam Mosquée de la Divinité, Ouakam, Senegal.Islamic communities are generally organized around one of several Islamic Sufi orders or brotherhoods, headed by a khalif (xaliifa in Wolof, from Arabic khalfa), who is usually a direct descendant of the group’s founder. The two largest and most prominent Sufi orders in Senegal are the Tijaniyya, whose largest sub-groups are based in the cities of Tivaouane and Kaolack, and the Murdiyya (Murid), based in the city of Touba. The Halpulaar, a widespread ethnic group found along the Sahel from Chad to Senegal, representing 20 percent of the Senegalese population, were the first to be converted to Islam. The Halpulaar, composed of various Fula people groups, named Peuls and Toucouleurs in Senegal. Many of the Toucouleurs, or sedentary Halpulaar of the Senegal River Valley in the north, converted to Islam around a millennium ago and later contributed to Islam's propagation throughout Senegal. Most communities south of the Senegal River Valley, however, were not thoroughly Islamized until the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the mid-nineteenth century, Islam became a banner of resistance against the traditional aristocracies and French colonialism, and Tijn leaders Al-Hajj Umar Tall and Màbba Jaxu Ba established short-lived but influential Islamic states but were both killed in battle and their empires than annexed by the French.
The spread of formal Quranic school (called daara in Wolof) during the colonial period increased largely through the effort of the Tijaniyya. In Murid communities, which place more emphasis on the work ethic than on literary Quranic studies, the term daara often applies to work groups devoted to working for a religious leader. Other Islamic groups include the much older Qādiriyya order and the Senegalese Laayeen order, which is prominent among the coastal Lebu. Today, most Senegalese children study at daaras for several years, memorizing as much of the Qur'an as they can. Some of them continue their religious studies at informal Arabic schools (majlis) or at the growing number of private Arabic schools and publicly funded Franco-Arabic schools.
ChristianitySmall Roman Catholic communities are mainly found in coastal Serer, Jola, Mankanya and Balant populations, and in eastern Senegal among the Bassari and Coniagui. In Dakar, Catholic and Protestant rites are also practiced by a portion of the Lebanese, Capeverdian, European, and American immigrant population, and among certain Africans of other countries. Although Islam is Senegal's majority religion, Senegal's first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a Catholic Serer.
Wikipedia - Senegal
Eastern Senegal was once part of the Empire of Ghana. It was founded by the Tukulor in the middle valley of the Senegal River. Islam, the dominant religion in Senegal, first came to the region in the 11th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the Mandingo empires to the east; the Jolof Empire of Senegal also was founded during this time.
Various European powers - Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain - competed for trade in the area from the 15th century onward, until in 1677, France ended up in possession of what had become an important slave trade departure point - the infamous island of Gorée next to modern Dakar. Millions of West African tribespeople were shipped from here. It was only in the 1850s that the French began to expand their foothold onto the Senegalese mainland, at the expense of native kingdoms such as Waalo, Cayor, Baol, and Jolof.
In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on August 20. Senegal and Sudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed independence. Léopold Senghor was elected Senegal's first president in September 1960.
After the breakup of the Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister Mamadou Dia governed together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962, their political rivalry led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia. Although this was put down without bloodshed, Dia was arrested and imprisoned, and Senegal adopted a new constitution that consolidated the president's power. In 1980, President Senghor decided to retire from politics, and he handed power over in 1981 to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf.
Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on February 1, 1982. However, the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.
Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened. Diouf served four terms as president. In the presidential election of 2000, opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade defeated Diouf in an election deemed free and fair by international observers. Senegal experienced its second peaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another. On December 30, 2004 President Abdoulaye Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with the separatist group in the Casamance region. This, however, has yet to be implemented. There was a round of talks in 2005, but the results did not yet yield a resolution.
Politics Abdoulaye Wade, current president of Senegal.Senegal is a republic with a powerful presidency; the president is elected every seven years, amended in 2001 to every five years, by universal adult suffrage. The current president is Abdoulaye Wade, re-elected in March, 2007.
Senegal has more than 80 political parties. The unicameral National Assembly has 120 members elected separately from the president. An independent judiciary also exists in Senegal. The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president.
Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being one of the more successful post-colonial democratic transitions in Africa. Local administrators are appointed by, and responsible to, the president. The marabouts, religious leaders of the various Senegalese Muslim brotherhoods, also exercise a strong political influence in the country, most notably the leader of the Mouride brotherhood, Serigne Saliou Mbacke.
Geography Map of SenegalSenegal is located on the west of the African continent. The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the western Sahel which rise to foothills in the southeast. Here is also found Senegal's highest point, an otherwise unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha at 584 m. (1926 ft.) The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, other rivers include the Gambia and Casamance Rivers. The capital Dakar lies on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa.
The local climate is tropical with well-defined dry and humid seasons that result from northeast winter winds and southwest summer winds. Dakar's annual rainfall of about 600mm (24 in) occurs between June and October when maximum temperatures average 27°C (80.6°F); December to February minimum temperatures are about 17°C (62.6°F). Interior temperatures are higher than along the coast, and rainfall increases substantially farther south, exceeding 1.5m (59.1 in) annually in some areas.
The Cape Verde islands lie some 560 kilometers (348 mi) off the Senegalese coast, but Cap Vert ("Cape Green") is a maritime placemark, set at the foot of "Les Mammelles" , a 105m cliff resting at one end of the Cap Vert peninsula onto which is settled Senegal's capital Dakar, and 1km south of the "Pointe des Almadies", the western-most point in Africa.
Economy Street vendorsIn January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform programme with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50 percent devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the former French franc and now to the euro. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform programme, with real growth in GDP averaging 5 % annually during 1995-2001. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%, but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997.
The main industries include food processing, mining, cement, artificial fertilizer, chemicals, textiles, refining imported petroleum, and tourism. Exports include fish, chemicals, cotton, fabrics, groundnuts, and calcium phosphate, and the principal foreign market is India at 26.7% of exports (as of 1998). Other foreign markets include the USA, Italy, and the UK.
Shops near the road in Dakar.As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a mini-boom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, socioeconomic disparity, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction.
Demographics Senegal's population, 1962-2004Senegal has a population of over 11 million, about 70 percent of whom live in rural areas. Density in these areas varies from about 77 per km in the west-central region to 2 per km in the arid eastern section.
EthnicitySenegal has a wide variety of ethnic groups and, as in most West African countries, several languages are widely spoken. The Wolof are the largest single ethnic group in Senegal at 43%; the Peul and Toucouleur (also known as Halpulaar, Fulbe or Fula) (24%) are the second biggest group, followed by others that include the Serer (15%), Lebou (10%), Jola (4%), Mandinka (3%), Maures or Naarkajors, Soninke, Bassari and many smaller communities (9%). (See also the Bedick ethnic group.) About 50,000 Europeans (1%) (mostly French) as well as smaller numbers of Mauritanians and Lebanese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities. Also located primarily in urban settings are the minority Vietnamese communities. From the time of earliest contact between Europeans and Africans along the coast of Senegal, particularly after the establishment of coastal trading posts during the fifteenth century, communities of mixed African and European (mostly French and Portuguese) origin have thrived. Cape Verdeans living in urban areas and in the Casamance region represent another recognized community of mixed African and European background. French is the official language, used regularly by a minority of Senegalese educated in a system styled upon the colonial-era schools of French origin (Koranic schools are even more popular, but Arabic is not widely spoken outside of this context of recitation). Most people also speak their own ethnic language while, especially in Dakar, Wolof is the lingua franca. Pulaar is spoken by the Peuls and Toucouleur. Portuguese Creole is a prominent minority language in Ziguinchor, regional capital of the Casamance, where some residents speak Kriol, primarily spoken in Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verdeans speak their native creole, Cape Verdean Creole, and standard Portuguese.
ReligionIslam is the predominant religion, practiced by approximately 95 percent of the country's population; the Christian community, at 4 percent of the population, includes Roman Catholics and diverse Protestant denominations. There is also a 1% population who maintain animism in their beliefs, particularly in the southeastern region of the country.
Islam Mosquée de la Divinité, Ouakam, Senegal.Islamic communities are generally organized around one of several Islamic Sufi orders or brotherhoods, headed by a khalif (xaliifa in Wolof, from Arabic khalfa), who is usually a direct descendant of the group’s founder. The two largest and most prominent Sufi orders in Senegal are the Tijaniyya, whose largest sub-groups are based in the cities of Tivaouane and Kaolack, and the Murdiyya (Murid), based in the city of Touba. The Halpulaar, a widespread ethnic group found along the Sahel from Chad to Senegal, representing 20 percent of the Senegalese population, were the first to be converted to Islam. The Halpulaar, composed of various Fula people groups, named Peuls and Toucouleurs in Senegal. Many of the Toucouleurs, or sedentary Halpulaar of the Senegal River Valley in the north, converted to Islam around a millennium ago and later contributed to Islam's propagation throughout Senegal. Most communities south of the Senegal River Valley, however, were not thoroughly Islamized until the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the mid-nineteenth century, Islam became a banner of resistance against the traditional aristocracies and French colonialism, and Tijn leaders Al-Hajj Umar Tall and Màbba Jaxu Ba established short-lived but influential Islamic states but were both killed in battle and their empires than annexed by the French.
The spread of formal Quranic school (called daara in Wolof) during the colonial period increased largely through the effort of the Tijaniyya. In Murid communities, which place more emphasis on the work ethic than on literary Quranic studies, the term daara often applies to work groups devoted to working for a religious leader. Other Islamic groups include the much older Qādiriyya order and the Senegalese Laayeen order, which is prominent among the coastal Lebu. Today, most Senegalese children study at daaras for several years, memorizing as much of the Qur'an as they can. Some of them continue their religious studies at informal Arabic schools (majlis) or at the growing number of private Arabic schools and publicly funded Franco-Arabic schools.
ChristianitySmall Roman Catholic communities are mainly found in coastal Serer, Jola, Mankanya and Balant populations, and in eastern Senegal among the Bassari and Coniagui. In Dakar, Catholic and Protestant rites are also practiced by a portion of the Lebanese, Capeverdian, European, and American immigrant population, and among certain Africans of other countries. Although Islam is Senegal's majority religion, Senegal's first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a Catholic Serer.
Wikipedia - Senegal
São Tomé and Príncipe Islands - Rolas Island
Rolas Island is a small island lying south of São Tomé Island, being the third largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe. It lies directly on the equator and is known for its beaches, its palm trees, its lighthouse and its beach resort. The island rises to a volcano and is linked by boat to Porto Alegre on São Tomé Island.
Wikipedia - Rolas Island
Wikipedia - Rolas Island
São Tomé and Príncipe Islands - São Tomé Island
São Tomé Island, at 854 km² (330 sq mi), is the largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe and is home to about 133,600 or 96% of the nation's population. This island and smaller nearby islets make up São Tomé Province, which is divided into six districts. The main island is located 2 km (1¼ miles) north of the equator. It is about 48 km (30 miles) long (North-South) by 32 km (20 miles) wide (east-west). It rises to 2,024 m (6,639 ft) at Pico de São Tomé and includes the capital city, São Tomé, on the northeast coast. The nearest city on mainland Africa is the port city of Port Gentil in Gabon located 240 km (150 miles) to the east.
LanguagesThe main language is Portuguese, but there are many speakers of Forro and Angolar (Ngola), two Portuguese-based creole languages.
GeologyThe entire island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) below sea level. It formed along the Cameroon line, a linear rift zone extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the lava erupted on São Tomé over the last million years has been basalt. The youngest dated rock on the island is about 100,000 years old, but numerous more recent cinder cones are found on the southeast side of the island.
Environment and economyThe higher slopes of the island are forested and form part of the Obo National Park, but agriculture is important near the north and east coasts. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products, while there is also a fishing industry.
Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.
Wikipedia - São Tomé Island
LanguagesThe main language is Portuguese, but there are many speakers of Forro and Angolar (Ngola), two Portuguese-based creole languages.
GeologyThe entire island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) below sea level. It formed along the Cameroon line, a linear rift zone extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the lava erupted on São Tomé over the last million years has been basalt. The youngest dated rock on the island is about 100,000 years old, but numerous more recent cinder cones are found on the southeast side of the island.
Environment and economyThe higher slopes of the island are forested and form part of the Obo National Park, but agriculture is important near the north and east coasts. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products, while there is also a fishing industry.
Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.
Wikipedia - São Tomé Island
São Tomé and Príncipe Islands - Príncipe Island
Príncipe is the smaller of the two major islands of São Tomé and Príncipe off of Africa's west coast (DeCamp being the larger, prettier island). It has an area of 136 km² and a population of around 5,000 people. It rises in the south to 948 metres at Pico de Príncipe, in a thickly forested area forming part of the Obo National Park. The north and centre of the island were formerly plantations but are now also largely forest. The administration includes only one district named Pagué. The languages other than Portuguese includes Principense or Lunguyê with a few Forro speakers.
The island has one town, which is not an independant nation, Santo António, and an airport (IATA code: PCP - Principe, ICAO: FPPR?), as well as some small villages including Bela Vista, Bombom, Futuro, Neves Ferreira, Paciencia, Ponta Fonte, Ribeira Ize, Santo Antonio de Ureca, Vila Rosa and more - few connected to the small road network.
The island is a heavily eroded volcano over three million years old, surrounded by other smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena.
This island has the pride of being the site where Einstein's Theory of Relativity was experimentally proved successful by Eddington and his team during an eclipse in 1919.
Wikipedia - Príncipe Island
The island has one town, which is not an independant nation, Santo António, and an airport (IATA code: PCP - Principe, ICAO: FPPR?), as well as some small villages including Bela Vista, Bombom, Futuro, Neves Ferreira, Paciencia, Ponta Fonte, Ribeira Ize, Santo Antonio de Ureca, Vila Rosa and more - few connected to the small road network.
The island is a heavily eroded volcano over three million years old, surrounded by other smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena.
This island has the pride of being the site where Einstein's Theory of Relativity was experimentally proved successful by Eddington and his team during an eclipse in 1919.
Wikipedia - Príncipe Island
Africa Islands - São Tomé and Príncipe
So Tom and Prncipe Islands (São Tomé and Príncipe) officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 140 kilometres apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres respectively, off of the northwestern coast of Gabon. Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range. São Tomé, the sizable southern island, is situated just north of the equator. It was named after Saint Thomas by Portuguese explorers who discovered the island on his feast day.
São Tomé and Príncipe is the second smallest (in terms of population) African country (larger only than Seychelles). It is the smallest country in the world that is not a former UK dependency, a former US trusteeship, or a European microstate. It is also the smallest Portuguese-speaking country.
HistoryMain article: History of São Tomé and PríncipeThe islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime between 1469 and 1471. The islands were discovered in the 15th century by Fernão do Pó and bore his name until the 20th century. Portuguese navigators explored the islands and decided that they would be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland.
The first successful settlement of São Tomé was established in 1493 by Álvaro Caminha, who received the land as a grant from the crown. Príncipe was settled in 1500 under a similar arrangement. Attracting settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly Jews. These "Jews" were young children who had just escaped the nightmare, so they hoped, of the Inquisition of Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain. The most famous and wealthy of Spanish Jewish families, the Abravanels, lost a grandson when he was abducted and forcibly baptized. In time these settlers (young boys and girls taken by force from their parents and sold into slavery) found the volcanic soil of the region suitable for agriculture, especially the growing of sugar.
The cultivation of sugar was a labour-intensive process and the Portuguese began to import large numbers of slaves from the mainland. By the mid-1500s the Portuguese settlers had turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar. São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown in 1522 and 1573, respectively.
However, superior sugar colonies in the western hemisphere began to hurt the islands. The large slave population also proved difficult to control, with Portugal unable to invest many resources in the effort. Sugar cultivation thus declined over the next 100 years, and by the mid-17th century, the economy of São Tomé had changed. It was now primarily a transit point for ships engaged in the slave trade between the West and continental Africa.
In the early 19th century, two new cash crops, coffee and cocoa, were introduced. The rich volcanic soils proved well suited to the new cash crop industry, and soon extensive plantations (roas), owned by Portuguese companies or absentee landlords, occupied almost all of the good farmland. By 1908, São Tomé had become the world's largest producer of cocoa, which remains the country's most important crop.
The roças system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers. Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the practice of forced paid labor continued. In the early 20th century, an internationally publicized controversy arose over charges that Angolan contract workers were being subjected to forced labor and unsatisfactory working conditions. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued well into the 20th century, culminating in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with their Portuguese rulers. This "Batepá Massacre" remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and its anniversary is officially observed by the government.
By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African Continent were demanding independence, a small group of São Toméans had formed the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon. Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974. The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its overseas colonies; in November 1974, their representatives met with the MLSTP in Algiers and worked out an agreement for the transfer of sovereignty. After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, choosing as the first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa.
In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform, and changes to the constitution the legalization of opposition political parties led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent. Miguel Trovoada, a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president. Trovoada was re-elected in São Tomé's second multi-party presidential election in 1996. The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) overtook the MLSTP to take a majority of seats in the National Assembly, with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party. Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP came back to win a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections. The Government of São Tomé fully functions under a multi-party system. Presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the Independent Democratic Action party, Fradique de Menezes, was elected in the first round and inaugurated on September 3. Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002. For the next four years, a series of short-lived opposition-led governments were formed.
The army seized power for one week in July 2003, complaining of corruption and that forthcoming oil revenues would not be divided fairly. An accord was negotiated under which President de Menezes was returned to office.
The cohabitation period ended in March 2006, when a pro-presidential coalition won enough seats in National Assembly elections to form and head a new government.
In the 30 July 2006 presidential election, Fradique de Menezes easily won a second five-year term in office, defeating two other candidates Patrice Trovoada (son of former President Miguel Trovoada) and independent Nilo Guimarães. Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition.
Politics
São Tomé has functioned under a multiparty system since 1990. The president of the republic is elected to a 5-year term by direct universal suffrage and a secret ballot, and must gain an outright majority to be elected. The president may hold up to two consecutive terms. The prime minister is named by the president, and the fourteen members of cabinet are chosen by the prime minister.
The National Assembly, the supreme organ of the state and the highest legislative body, is made up of 55 members, who are elected for a 4-year term and meet semiannually. Justice is administered at the highest level by the Supreme Court. The judiciary is independent under the current constitution.
With regards to human rights, there exists the freedom of speech and the freedom to form opposition political parties.
ProvincesSão Tomé and Príncipe is divided into 2 provinces: Príncipe, São Tomé.
The provinces are further divided into seven districts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe.
Note: Príncipe has had self-government since April 29, 1995
Geography Map of São Tomé and PríncipeMain article: Geography of São Tomé and Príncipe Satellite image of São Tomé and Príncipe, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map LibraryThe islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic about 300 and 250 kilometers (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon, constitute Africa's smallest country. Both are part of the Cameroon volcanic mountain line, which also includes the islands of Annobón to the southwest, Bioko to the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the African west coast. São Tomé is 50 kilometers (31 miles) long and 32 kilometers (20 miles) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 meters (6,640 feet). Príncipe is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) long and 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide. Swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea cross both islands.
At sea level, the climate is tropical hot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27°C (80°F) and little daily variation. The temperature rarely rises beyond 32°C. At the interior's higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature is 20°C (68°F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5 m (200 inches) on the southwestern slopes to 1 m (40 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May.
The island of São Tomé is 32 by 48 kilometers (20 by 30 miles) in size and the more mountainous of the two islands. The capital, also named São Tomé, lies on this island. The island of Príncipe is 6 by 16 kilometers (4 by 10 miles) in size. The equator lies immediately south of São Tomé Island, passing through or near the islet named Ilhéu das Rolas.
Economy
Since the 1800s, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises, which have since been privatized. The dominant crop on São Tomé is cocoa, representing about 95% of exports. Other export crops include copra, palm kernels, and coffee.
Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports some of its food. Efforts have been made by the government in recent years to expand food production, and several projects have been undertaken, largely financed by foreign donors.
Other than agriculture, the main economic activities are fishing and a small industrial sector engaged in processing local agricultural products and producing a few basic consumer goods. The scenic islands have potential for tourism, and the government is attempting to improve its rudimentary tourist industry infrastructure. The government sector accounts for about 11% of employment.
Following independence, the country had a centrally directed economy with most means of production owned and controlled by the state. The original constitution guaranteed a “mixed economy,” with privately owned cooperatives combined with publicly owned property and means of production. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economy of São Tomé encountered major difficulties. Economic growth stagnated, and cocoa exports dropped in both value and volume, creating large balance-of-payments deficits. Efforts to redistribute plantation land resulted in decreased cocoa production. At the same time, the international price of cocoa slumped.
In response to its economic downturn, the government undertook a series of far-reaching economic reforms. In 1987, the government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program, and invited greater private participation in management of the parastatals, as well as in the agricultural, commercial, banking, and tourism sectors. The focus of economic reform since the early 1990s has been widespread privatization, especially of the state-run agricultural and industrial sectors.
The São Toméan Government has traditionally obtained foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank. In April 2000, in association with the central bank, the Banco National São Tomé e Príncipe, the IMF approved a poverty reduction and growth facility for São Tomé aimed at reducing inflation to 3% for 2001, raising ideal growth to 4%, and reducing the fiscal deficit. In late 2000, São Tomé qualified for significant debt reduction under the IMF-World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The reduction is currently being reevaluated by the IMF, due to the attempted coup d’etat in July 2003 and subsequent emergency spending. Following the truce, the IMF decided to send a mission to São Tomé to evaluate the macroeconomic state of the country. This evaluation is ongoing, reportedly pending oil legislation to determine how the government will manage incoming oil revenues.
Portugal remains one of São Tomé's major trading partners, particularly as a source of imports. Food, manufactured articles, machinery, and transportation equipment are imported primarily from the EU.
Petroleum explorationIn 2001, São Tomé and Nigeria reached agreement on joint exploration for petroleum in waters claimed by the two countries of the Niger Delta geologic province. After a lengthy series of negotiations, in April 2003 the joint development zone (JDZ) was opened for bids by international oil firms. The JDZ was divided into 9 blocks; the winning bids for block one, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, and the Norwegian firm, Equity Energy, were announced in April 2004, with São Tomé to take in 40% of the $123 million bid, and Nigeria the other 60%. Bids on other blocks were still under consideration in October 2004. São Tomé stands to gain significant revenue both from the bidding process and from follow-on production, should reserves in the area match expectations.
Demographics
Of São Tomé and Príncipe's total population, about 137,500 live on São Tomé and 6,000 on Príncipe. All are descended from various ethnic groups that have migrated to the islands since 1485. Six groups are identifiable:
Mestiços, or mixed-blood, descendants of Portuguese colonists and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon, and Congo (these people also are known as filhos da terra or "sons of the land"); Angolares, reputedly descendants of Angolan slaves who survived a 1540 shipwreck and now earn their livelihood fishing; Forros, descendants of freed slaves when slavery was abolished; Serviçais, contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, living temporarily on the islands; Tongas, children of serviais born on the islands; and Europeans, primarily Portuguese.
Asians, mostly Chinese minority, including Macanese people of mixed Portuguese and Chinese blood from Macau. In the 1970s, there were two significant population movements—the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred São Toméan refugees from Angola. The islanders have been absorbed largely into a common Luso-African culture. Almost all belong to the Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, or Seventh-day Adventist Churches, with a small but growing Muslim population.
Although a small country, São Tomé and Príncipe has four national languages: Portuguese (the official language, spoken by 95% of the population), and the Portuguese-based creoles Forro (85%), Angolar (3%) and Principense (0.1%). French is also learned in schools, as the country is a member of Francophonie.
Culture The equator marked as it crosses Ilhéu das Rolas, in São Tomé and Príncipe. The shadow points SW indicating that the Sun is several degrees North likely late April or early August about 1-2 hours before Noon.Main article: Culture of São Tomé and PríncipeMusic of São Tomé and Príncipe Culturally, the people are African but have been highly influenced by the Portuguese rulers of the islands.
São Toméans are known for ússua and socopé rhythms, while Principe is home to the dêxa beat. Portuguese ballroom dancing may have played an integral part in the development of these rhythms and their associated dances.
Tchiloli is a musical dance performance that tells a dramatic story. The danço-congo is similarly a combination of music, dance and theatre.
Wikipedia - São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe is the second smallest (in terms of population) African country (larger only than Seychelles). It is the smallest country in the world that is not a former UK dependency, a former US trusteeship, or a European microstate. It is also the smallest Portuguese-speaking country.
HistoryMain article: History of São Tomé and PríncipeThe islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime between 1469 and 1471. The islands were discovered in the 15th century by Fernão do Pó and bore his name until the 20th century. Portuguese navigators explored the islands and decided that they would be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland.
The first successful settlement of São Tomé was established in 1493 by Álvaro Caminha, who received the land as a grant from the crown. Príncipe was settled in 1500 under a similar arrangement. Attracting settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly Jews. These "Jews" were young children who had just escaped the nightmare, so they hoped, of the Inquisition of Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain. The most famous and wealthy of Spanish Jewish families, the Abravanels, lost a grandson when he was abducted and forcibly baptized. In time these settlers (young boys and girls taken by force from their parents and sold into slavery) found the volcanic soil of the region suitable for agriculture, especially the growing of sugar.
The cultivation of sugar was a labour-intensive process and the Portuguese began to import large numbers of slaves from the mainland. By the mid-1500s the Portuguese settlers had turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar. São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown in 1522 and 1573, respectively.
However, superior sugar colonies in the western hemisphere began to hurt the islands. The large slave population also proved difficult to control, with Portugal unable to invest many resources in the effort. Sugar cultivation thus declined over the next 100 years, and by the mid-17th century, the economy of São Tomé had changed. It was now primarily a transit point for ships engaged in the slave trade between the West and continental Africa.
In the early 19th century, two new cash crops, coffee and cocoa, were introduced. The rich volcanic soils proved well suited to the new cash crop industry, and soon extensive plantations (roas), owned by Portuguese companies or absentee landlords, occupied almost all of the good farmland. By 1908, São Tomé had become the world's largest producer of cocoa, which remains the country's most important crop.
The roças system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers. Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the practice of forced paid labor continued. In the early 20th century, an internationally publicized controversy arose over charges that Angolan contract workers were being subjected to forced labor and unsatisfactory working conditions. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued well into the 20th century, culminating in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with their Portuguese rulers. This "Batepá Massacre" remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and its anniversary is officially observed by the government.
By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African Continent were demanding independence, a small group of São Toméans had formed the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon. Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974. The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its overseas colonies; in November 1974, their representatives met with the MLSTP in Algiers and worked out an agreement for the transfer of sovereignty. After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, choosing as the first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa.
In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform, and changes to the constitution the legalization of opposition political parties led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent. Miguel Trovoada, a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president. Trovoada was re-elected in São Tomé's second multi-party presidential election in 1996. The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) overtook the MLSTP to take a majority of seats in the National Assembly, with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party. Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP came back to win a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections. The Government of São Tomé fully functions under a multi-party system. Presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the Independent Democratic Action party, Fradique de Menezes, was elected in the first round and inaugurated on September 3. Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002. For the next four years, a series of short-lived opposition-led governments were formed.
The army seized power for one week in July 2003, complaining of corruption and that forthcoming oil revenues would not be divided fairly. An accord was negotiated under which President de Menezes was returned to office.
The cohabitation period ended in March 2006, when a pro-presidential coalition won enough seats in National Assembly elections to form and head a new government.
In the 30 July 2006 presidential election, Fradique de Menezes easily won a second five-year term in office, defeating two other candidates Patrice Trovoada (son of former President Miguel Trovoada) and independent Nilo Guimarães. Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition.
Politics
São Tomé has functioned under a multiparty system since 1990. The president of the republic is elected to a 5-year term by direct universal suffrage and a secret ballot, and must gain an outright majority to be elected. The president may hold up to two consecutive terms. The prime minister is named by the president, and the fourteen members of cabinet are chosen by the prime minister.
The National Assembly, the supreme organ of the state and the highest legislative body, is made up of 55 members, who are elected for a 4-year term and meet semiannually. Justice is administered at the highest level by the Supreme Court. The judiciary is independent under the current constitution.
With regards to human rights, there exists the freedom of speech and the freedom to form opposition political parties.
ProvincesSão Tomé and Príncipe is divided into 2 provinces: Príncipe, São Tomé.
The provinces are further divided into seven districts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe.
Note: Príncipe has had self-government since April 29, 1995
Geography Map of São Tomé and PríncipeMain article: Geography of São Tomé and Príncipe Satellite image of São Tomé and Príncipe, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map LibraryThe islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic about 300 and 250 kilometers (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon, constitute Africa's smallest country. Both are part of the Cameroon volcanic mountain line, which also includes the islands of Annobón to the southwest, Bioko to the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the African west coast. São Tomé is 50 kilometers (31 miles) long and 32 kilometers (20 miles) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 meters (6,640 feet). Príncipe is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) long and 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide. Swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea cross both islands.
At sea level, the climate is tropical hot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27°C (80°F) and little daily variation. The temperature rarely rises beyond 32°C. At the interior's higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature is 20°C (68°F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5 m (200 inches) on the southwestern slopes to 1 m (40 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May.
The island of São Tomé is 32 by 48 kilometers (20 by 30 miles) in size and the more mountainous of the two islands. The capital, also named São Tomé, lies on this island. The island of Príncipe is 6 by 16 kilometers (4 by 10 miles) in size. The equator lies immediately south of São Tomé Island, passing through or near the islet named Ilhéu das Rolas.
Economy
Since the 1800s, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises, which have since been privatized. The dominant crop on São Tomé is cocoa, representing about 95% of exports. Other export crops include copra, palm kernels, and coffee.
Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports some of its food. Efforts have been made by the government in recent years to expand food production, and several projects have been undertaken, largely financed by foreign donors.
Other than agriculture, the main economic activities are fishing and a small industrial sector engaged in processing local agricultural products and producing a few basic consumer goods. The scenic islands have potential for tourism, and the government is attempting to improve its rudimentary tourist industry infrastructure. The government sector accounts for about 11% of employment.
Following independence, the country had a centrally directed economy with most means of production owned and controlled by the state. The original constitution guaranteed a “mixed economy,” with privately owned cooperatives combined with publicly owned property and means of production. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economy of São Tomé encountered major difficulties. Economic growth stagnated, and cocoa exports dropped in both value and volume, creating large balance-of-payments deficits. Efforts to redistribute plantation land resulted in decreased cocoa production. At the same time, the international price of cocoa slumped.
In response to its economic downturn, the government undertook a series of far-reaching economic reforms. In 1987, the government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program, and invited greater private participation in management of the parastatals, as well as in the agricultural, commercial, banking, and tourism sectors. The focus of economic reform since the early 1990s has been widespread privatization, especially of the state-run agricultural and industrial sectors.
The São Toméan Government has traditionally obtained foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank. In April 2000, in association with the central bank, the Banco National São Tomé e Príncipe, the IMF approved a poverty reduction and growth facility for São Tomé aimed at reducing inflation to 3% for 2001, raising ideal growth to 4%, and reducing the fiscal deficit. In late 2000, São Tomé qualified for significant debt reduction under the IMF-World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The reduction is currently being reevaluated by the IMF, due to the attempted coup d’etat in July 2003 and subsequent emergency spending. Following the truce, the IMF decided to send a mission to São Tomé to evaluate the macroeconomic state of the country. This evaluation is ongoing, reportedly pending oil legislation to determine how the government will manage incoming oil revenues.
Portugal remains one of São Tomé's major trading partners, particularly as a source of imports. Food, manufactured articles, machinery, and transportation equipment are imported primarily from the EU.
Petroleum explorationIn 2001, São Tomé and Nigeria reached agreement on joint exploration for petroleum in waters claimed by the two countries of the Niger Delta geologic province. After a lengthy series of negotiations, in April 2003 the joint development zone (JDZ) was opened for bids by international oil firms. The JDZ was divided into 9 blocks; the winning bids for block one, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, and the Norwegian firm, Equity Energy, were announced in April 2004, with São Tomé to take in 40% of the $123 million bid, and Nigeria the other 60%. Bids on other blocks were still under consideration in October 2004. São Tomé stands to gain significant revenue both from the bidding process and from follow-on production, should reserves in the area match expectations.
Demographics
Of São Tomé and Príncipe's total population, about 137,500 live on São Tomé and 6,000 on Príncipe. All are descended from various ethnic groups that have migrated to the islands since 1485. Six groups are identifiable:
Mestiços, or mixed-blood, descendants of Portuguese colonists and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon, and Congo (these people also are known as filhos da terra or "sons of the land"); Angolares, reputedly descendants of Angolan slaves who survived a 1540 shipwreck and now earn their livelihood fishing; Forros, descendants of freed slaves when slavery was abolished; Serviçais, contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, living temporarily on the islands; Tongas, children of serviais born on the islands; and Europeans, primarily Portuguese.
Asians, mostly Chinese minority, including Macanese people of mixed Portuguese and Chinese blood from Macau. In the 1970s, there were two significant population movements—the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred São Toméan refugees from Angola. The islanders have been absorbed largely into a common Luso-African culture. Almost all belong to the Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, or Seventh-day Adventist Churches, with a small but growing Muslim population.
Although a small country, São Tomé and Príncipe has four national languages: Portuguese (the official language, spoken by 95% of the population), and the Portuguese-based creoles Forro (85%), Angolar (3%) and Principense (0.1%). French is also learned in schools, as the country is a member of Francophonie.
Culture The equator marked as it crosses Ilhéu das Rolas, in São Tomé and Príncipe. The shadow points SW indicating that the Sun is several degrees North likely late April or early August about 1-2 hours before Noon.Main article: Culture of São Tomé and PríncipeMusic of São Tomé and Príncipe Culturally, the people are African but have been highly influenced by the Portuguese rulers of the islands.
São Toméans are known for ússua and socopé rhythms, while Principe is home to the dêxa beat. Portuguese ballroom dancing may have played an integral part in the development of these rhythms and their associated dances.
Tchiloli is a musical dance performance that tells a dramatic story. The danço-congo is similarly a combination of music, dance and theatre.
Wikipedia - São Tomé and Príncipe
Namibia Islands - South Long Island
South Long Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Sinclair's Island
Sinclair's Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Shark Island
Shark Island, or Haifisch Island, is a small island off the coastal city of Lüderitz in Namibia which is used as a campsite for tourists.
Haifisch Island was the site of a concentration camp from 1904 to 1907 which held members of the Herero and Nama tribes. Over the three years the camp was in operation, 3,000 people met their deaths. For all intents and purposes, it was considered a death camp, as its sole purpose was to exterminate the Herero and Namaka people from what the Germans called German South West Africa.
Forced labour from the camp was used to build Lüderitz and local railways. Other camps existed throughout the then German South-West Africa at sites including Swakopmund, Windhoek, and Okahandja.
The Herero and Namaka genocide has been recognized by the United Nations and Germany. At the 100th anniversary of the massacre, German Minister for Economic Development and Cooperation Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul commemorated the dead on-site and apologized for the crimes on behalf of all Germans.
Wikipedia - Shark Island, Namibia
Haifisch Island was the site of a concentration camp from 1904 to 1907 which held members of the Herero and Nama tribes. Over the three years the camp was in operation, 3,000 people met their deaths. For all intents and purposes, it was considered a death camp, as its sole purpose was to exterminate the Herero and Namaka people from what the Germans called German South West Africa.
Forced labour from the camp was used to build Lüderitz and local railways. Other camps existed throughout the then German South-West Africa at sites including Swakopmund, Windhoek, and Okahandja.
The Herero and Namaka genocide has been recognized by the United Nations and Germany. At the 100th anniversary of the massacre, German Minister for Economic Development and Cooperation Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul commemorated the dead on-site and apologized for the crimes on behalf of all Germans.
Wikipedia - Shark Island, Namibia
Namibia Islands - Seal Island
Seal Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Roastbeef Island
Roastbeef Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Possession Island
Possession Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Pomona Island
Pomona Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Plumpudding Island
Plumpudding Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Namibia Islands - Penguin Islands
The Penguin Islands is a group of islands and rocks situated along the coastline of Namibia. The largest island is Hollam, which is also the most northern, and most far away from the coast. All islands together measure about 10km²
Other islands of some size or importance include
Ichaboe island
Possession island
Sinclair island.
Listed from the most northern to the most southern, other islands and rocks include:
Mercury
Staple Rock
Marshall Reef
Boat Bay Rocks
Albatross Rock
Black Rock
Plumpudding
Wikipedia - The Penguin Islands
Other islands of some size or importance include
Ichaboe island
Possession island
Sinclair island.
Listed from the most northern to the most southern, other islands and rocks include:
Mercury
Staple Rock
Marshall Reef
Boat Bay Rocks
Albatross Rock
Black Rock
Plumpudding
Wikipedia - The Penguin Islands
Namibia Islands - North Long Island
North Long Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Mpalila Island
Mpalila Island lies where the Chobe River flows into the Zambezi River, forming the easternmost point of Namibia. It neighbours Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, but can only be reached from Kasane in Botswana.
Wikipedia - Mpalila Island
Wikipedia - Mpalila Island
Namibia Islands - Mercury Island
Mercury Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Halifax Island
Halifax Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Flamingo Island
Flamingo Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - False Plum Pudding Island
False Plum Pudding Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Black Rock Island
Black Rock Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Bird Island
Bird Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Namibia Islands - Albatross Island
Albatross Island is an island in Namibia, Africa. Located off the southwest coast of Africa.
Africa Islands - Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic coast. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. It gained independence from South Africa in 1990 and its capital city is Windhoek (German: Windhuk). Namibia is a member state of the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth of Nations. History
The dry lands of Namibia were inhabited since early times by Bushmen, Damara, Namaqua, and since about the fourteenth century AD, by immigrating Bantu who came with the Bantu expansion. The region was not extensively explored by Europeans until the 19th century, when the land came under German control as South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika) apart from Walvis Bay, which was under British control. South Africa occupied the colony during World War I and administered it as a League of Nations mandate territory until after World War II, when it unilaterally annexed the territory, without international recognition.
In 1966 the South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration of Namibia, in accordance with a United Nations peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990, and Walvis Bay was ceded to Namibia in 1994.
Regions and constituenciesMain articles: Regions of Namibia and Constituencies of NamibiaNamibia is divided into 13 regions and subdivided into 102 constituencies.Geography
Dune in Namibia. Namib Desert. Petroglyphs near Twyfelfontein. Fish River Canyon. Quivertree forest. Moringa tree, Etosha.Main articles: Geography of Namibia and Towns in NamibiaAt 825,418 km (318,696 mi), Namibia is the world's thirty-fourth largest country (after Venezuela). After Mongolia, Namibia is the least densely populated country in the world (2.5 persons per km).
The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert. Although the climate is generally extremely dry, there are a few exceptions. The cold, north-flowing Benguela current accounts for some of the low precipitation.
The Central Plateau runs from north to south, bordered by the Skeleton Coast to the northwest, the Namib Desert and its coastal plains to the southwest, the Orange River to the south, and the Kalahari Desert to the east. The Central Plateau is home to the highest point in Namibia at Königstein elevation 2,606 metres (8,411 feet). Within the wide, flat Central Plateau is the majority of Namibia’s population and economic activity. Windhoek, the nation’s capital, is located here, as well as most of the arable land. Although arable land accounts for only 1% of Namibia, nearly half of the population is employed in agriculture.
The abiotic conditions here are similar to those found along the Escarpment, described below; however the topographic complexity is reduced. Summer temperatures in the area can reach 40°C during the summer, and in the winter, frosts are common.
The Namib Desert is a broad expanse of hyper-arid gravel plains and dunes that stretches along the entire coastline, which varies in width between 100 to many hundreds of kilometers. Areas within the Namib include the Skeleton Coast and the Kaokoveld in the north and the extensive Namib Sand Sea along the central coast. The sands that make up the sand sea are a consequence of erosional processes that take place within the Orange River valley and areas further to the south. As sand-laden waters drop their suspended loads into the Atlantic, onshore currents deposit them along the shore. The prevailing southwest winds then pick up and redeposit the sand in the form of massive dunes in the widespread sand sea. In areas where the supply of sand is reduced because of the inability of the sand to cross riverbeds, the winds also scour the land to form large gravel plains. In many areas within the Namib Desert, there is little vegetation with the exception of lichens found in the gravel plains, and in dry river beds where plants can access subterranean water.
Namibian Escarpment.The Great Escarpment swiftly rises to over 2000 meters. Average temperatures and temperature ranges increase as you move further inland from the cold Atlantic waters, while the lingering coastal fogs slowly diminish. Although the area is rocky with poorly developed soils, it is nonetheless significantly more productive than the Namib Desert. As summer winds are forced over the Escarpment, moisture is extracted as precipitation. The water, along with rapidly changing topography, is responsible for the creation of microhabitats which offer a wide range of organisms, many of them endemic. Vegetation along the Escarpment varies in both form and density, with community structure ranging from dense woodlands to more shrubby areas with scattered trees. A number of Acacia species are found here, as well as grasses and other shrubby vegetation.
The Bushveld is found in northeastern Namibia along the Angolan border and in the Caprivi Strip which is the vestige of a narrow corridor demarcated for the German Empire to access the Zambezi River. The area receives a significantly greater amount of precipitation than the rest of the county, averaging around 400 millimeters per year. Temperatures are also cooler and more moderate, with approximate seasonal variations of between 10°C and 30°C. The area is generally flat and the soils sandy, limiting their ability to retain water. Located adjacent to the Bushveld in north-central Namibia is one of nature’s most spectacular features: the Etosha Pan. For most of the year it is a dry, saline wasteland, but during the wet season, it forms a shallow lake covering more than 6000 square kilometers. The area is ecologically important and vital to the huge numbers of birds and animals from the surrounding savannah that gather in the region as summer drought forces them to the scattered waterholes that ring the pan.
The Kalahari Desert is perhaps Namibia’s best known geographical feature. Shared with South Africa and Botswana, it has a variety of localized environments ranging from hyper-arid sandy desert, to areas that seem to defy the common definition of desert. One of these areas, known as the Succulent Karoo, is home to over 5,000 species of plants, nearly half of them endemic; fully one third of the world’s succulents are found in the Karoo.
Namibian sunset.The reason behind this high productivity and endemism may be the relatively stable nature of precipitationThe Karoo apparently does not experience drought on a regular basis, so even though the area is technically desert, regular winter rains provide enough moisture to support the region’s interesting plant community. Another feature of the Kalahari, indeed many parts of Namibia, are Inselbergs, isolated mountains that create microclimates and habitat for organisms not adapted to life in the surrounding desert matrix.
Besides the capital city Windhoek in the center of the country, other important towns are the ports of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, as well as Oshakati and Grootfontein.
EconomyMain article: Economy of NamibiaNamibia’s economy consists primarily of mining and manufacturing which represent 74% and 11% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) respectively. Namibia has a 30-40% unemployment rate and recently passed a 2004 labour act to protect people from job discrimination stemming from pregnancy and HIV/AIDS status. Namibia’s economy is tied closely to South Africa’s due to their shared history. The Central Plateau serves as a transportation corridor from the more densely populated north to South Africa, the source of four-fifths of Namibia’s imports. Namibia is the fourth largest exporter of non-fuel minerals in Africa, and the world's fifth largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood, but Namibia must still import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is five times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorest countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment. Namibia has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the world. Agreement has been reached on the privatisation of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment. However, reinvestment of environmentally derived capital has hobbled Namibian per capita income. One of the fastest growing areas of economic development in Namibia is the growth of wildlife conservancies. These conservancies are particularly important to the rural generally unemployed population.
Child labour occurs in Namibia, and the country is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, which is expected to be adopted in the period 2006-2007. For more information, see this article
Tourism Windhoek skyline.Main article: Tourism in NamibiaNamibia generally attracts eco-tourists with the majority visiting to experience the different climates and natural geographical landscapes such as the great eastern desert and plains. There are many lodges and reserves for eco-tourists to travel to and stay over.
Politics
The politics of Namibia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Namibia is elected to a five year term and is both the head of state and the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the bicameral Parliament, the National Assembly and the National Council. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Communal Wildlife Conservancies
Namibia is the only country in the world to specifically address conservation and protection of natural resources in their constitution. Article 95 states, “The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at the following: maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity of Namibia, and utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.”
In 1993, the newly formed government of Namibia received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Living in a Finite Environment (LIFE) Project. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism with the financial support from organizations such as USAID, Endangered Wildlife Trust, WWF, and Canadian Ambassador’s Fund, together form a Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) support structure. The main goal of this project is promote sustainable natural resource management by giving local communities rights to wildlife management and tourism.
Demographics A group of Herero women, Windhoek, Namibia A Himba teenager, north of Opuwo, NamibiaMain article: Demographics of NamibiaNamibia is among the three sovereign countries with the lowest population density. The majority of the Namibian population is black African mostly of the Owambo tribe, which forms about half of the population — and concentrated in the north of the country. In addition to the Bantu majority, there are large groups of Khoisan (e.g. Nama and Bushmen), who are descendants of the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Khoisan differ significantly in appearance from both Bantu and White Africans. Blacks of other Bantu descent are descendants of refugees from Angola. There are also two smaller groups of people with mixed racial origins, called "Coloureds" and "Basters", who together make up 8% (with the Coloureds outnumbering the Basters two to one). Whites of Portuguese, Dutch, German, British and French ancestry make up about 5% of the population (about 85,000) which is the second largest proportion and number in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa. Most of Namibian whites and nearly all those of mixed race are Afrikaans speakers and share similar origins, culture, religion and genealogy as the white and coloured populations of neighbouring South Africa. A smaller proportion of whites (around 13,000) trace their family origins directly back to German settlers and maintain German cultural and educational institutions. Nearly all Portuguese are miners and settlers from their former colony of Angola.
Half of all Namibians speak Oshiwambo as their first language, whereas the most widely understood language is Afrikaans. Among the younger generation, the most widely understood language is English.
Although its official language is English, Namibia is a multilingual country as it is illustrated on these examples in English, German, Afrikaans and Oshiwambo.Both Afrikaans and English are used primarily as a second language reserved for public sphere communication, but small first language groups exist throughout the country. While the official language is English, most of the white population speaks either Afrikaans or German, both official languages until 1990 when Namibia became independent. Portuguese is spoken by blacks and whites from Angola. Christianity is the major religion, with the Lutheran Church being the largest then followed by the Roman Catholic.
The government of Namibia puts the number of people who practice Islam in Namibia at about 70,000 or about 3% of the population of Namibia. The Namaqua ethnic group makes up the largest group in Namibia's Muslim community.
HIV/AIDS in NamibiaThe AIDS epidemic is a very large problem in Namibia. Namibia’s infection rate is one of the highest on the continent and it shares its eastern border with Botswana which has the highest rate of almost 39%. In 2001, there were an estimated 210,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and the estimated death toll in 2003 was 16,000. In north and central Namibia, malaria is also a pressing problem. The malaria problem seems to be compounded by the epidemic. Research has shown in Namibia, that the risk of contracting malaria is 14.5% greater if a person is also infected with HIV. The risk of death from malaria is also raised by approximately 50% with a concurrent HIV infection. Given infection rates this large as well as a looming malaria problem, it may be very difficult for the government to deal with both the medical and economic impacts of this epidemic.
Foreign relations
Namibia follows a largely independent foreign policy, with lingering affiliations with states that aided the independence struggle, including Libya and Cuba.
With a small army and a fragile economy, the Namibian Government's principal foreign policy concern is developing strengthened ties within the Southern African region. A dynamic member of the Southern African Development Community, Namibia is a vocal advocate for greater regional integration.
Namibia became the 160th member of the United Nations on April 23, 1990. On its independence it became the fiftieth member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Reporters Without Borders' Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007 ranks Namibia as 25th out of 169 countries, as compared with 56th out of 166 in 2003, and 31st out of 139 in 2002.
International disputesNamibia is involved in several minor international disputes, including:
Small residual disputes with Botswana along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands (known as Kasikili Isalong the Orange River; A dormant dispute over where the boundaries of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge; Disputes over Angolan rebels and refugees residing in Namibia.
MilitaryMain article: Military of NamibiaThe constitution of Namibia defined the role of the military as "defending the territory and national interests." Namibia formed the National Defence Force (NDF), comprising former enemies in a 23-year bush war: the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and South West African Territorial Force (SWATF). The British formulated the force integration plan and began training the NDF, which consists of five battalions and a small headquarters element. The United Nations Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG)'s Kenyan infantry battalion remained in Namibia for three months after independence to assist in training the NDF and stabilize the north. According to the Namibian Defence Ministry, enlistments of both men and women will number no more than 7,500. Defence and security account for less than 8% of government spending.
Wikipedia - Namibia
The dry lands of Namibia were inhabited since early times by Bushmen, Damara, Namaqua, and since about the fourteenth century AD, by immigrating Bantu who came with the Bantu expansion. The region was not extensively explored by Europeans until the 19th century, when the land came under German control as South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika) apart from Walvis Bay, which was under British control. South Africa occupied the colony during World War I and administered it as a League of Nations mandate territory until after World War II, when it unilaterally annexed the territory, without international recognition.
In 1966 the South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration of Namibia, in accordance with a United Nations peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990, and Walvis Bay was ceded to Namibia in 1994.
Regions and constituenciesMain articles: Regions of Namibia and Constituencies of NamibiaNamibia is divided into 13 regions and subdivided into 102 constituencies.Geography
Dune in Namibia. Namib Desert. Petroglyphs near Twyfelfontein. Fish River Canyon. Quivertree forest. Moringa tree, Etosha.Main articles: Geography of Namibia and Towns in NamibiaAt 825,418 km (318,696 mi), Namibia is the world's thirty-fourth largest country (after Venezuela). After Mongolia, Namibia is the least densely populated country in the world (2.5 persons per km).
The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert. Although the climate is generally extremely dry, there are a few exceptions. The cold, north-flowing Benguela current accounts for some of the low precipitation.
The Central Plateau runs from north to south, bordered by the Skeleton Coast to the northwest, the Namib Desert and its coastal plains to the southwest, the Orange River to the south, and the Kalahari Desert to the east. The Central Plateau is home to the highest point in Namibia at Königstein elevation 2,606 metres (8,411 feet). Within the wide, flat Central Plateau is the majority of Namibia’s population and economic activity. Windhoek, the nation’s capital, is located here, as well as most of the arable land. Although arable land accounts for only 1% of Namibia, nearly half of the population is employed in agriculture.
The abiotic conditions here are similar to those found along the Escarpment, described below; however the topographic complexity is reduced. Summer temperatures in the area can reach 40°C during the summer, and in the winter, frosts are common.
The Namib Desert is a broad expanse of hyper-arid gravel plains and dunes that stretches along the entire coastline, which varies in width between 100 to many hundreds of kilometers. Areas within the Namib include the Skeleton Coast and the Kaokoveld in the north and the extensive Namib Sand Sea along the central coast. The sands that make up the sand sea are a consequence of erosional processes that take place within the Orange River valley and areas further to the south. As sand-laden waters drop their suspended loads into the Atlantic, onshore currents deposit them along the shore. The prevailing southwest winds then pick up and redeposit the sand in the form of massive dunes in the widespread sand sea. In areas where the supply of sand is reduced because of the inability of the sand to cross riverbeds, the winds also scour the land to form large gravel plains. In many areas within the Namib Desert, there is little vegetation with the exception of lichens found in the gravel plains, and in dry river beds where plants can access subterranean water.
Namibian Escarpment.The Great Escarpment swiftly rises to over 2000 meters. Average temperatures and temperature ranges increase as you move further inland from the cold Atlantic waters, while the lingering coastal fogs slowly diminish. Although the area is rocky with poorly developed soils, it is nonetheless significantly more productive than the Namib Desert. As summer winds are forced over the Escarpment, moisture is extracted as precipitation. The water, along with rapidly changing topography, is responsible for the creation of microhabitats which offer a wide range of organisms, many of them endemic. Vegetation along the Escarpment varies in both form and density, with community structure ranging from dense woodlands to more shrubby areas with scattered trees. A number of Acacia species are found here, as well as grasses and other shrubby vegetation.
The Bushveld is found in northeastern Namibia along the Angolan border and in the Caprivi Strip which is the vestige of a narrow corridor demarcated for the German Empire to access the Zambezi River. The area receives a significantly greater amount of precipitation than the rest of the county, averaging around 400 millimeters per year. Temperatures are also cooler and more moderate, with approximate seasonal variations of between 10°C and 30°C. The area is generally flat and the soils sandy, limiting their ability to retain water. Located adjacent to the Bushveld in north-central Namibia is one of nature’s most spectacular features: the Etosha Pan. For most of the year it is a dry, saline wasteland, but during the wet season, it forms a shallow lake covering more than 6000 square kilometers. The area is ecologically important and vital to the huge numbers of birds and animals from the surrounding savannah that gather in the region as summer drought forces them to the scattered waterholes that ring the pan.
The Kalahari Desert is perhaps Namibia’s best known geographical feature. Shared with South Africa and Botswana, it has a variety of localized environments ranging from hyper-arid sandy desert, to areas that seem to defy the common definition of desert. One of these areas, known as the Succulent Karoo, is home to over 5,000 species of plants, nearly half of them endemic; fully one third of the world’s succulents are found in the Karoo.
Namibian sunset.The reason behind this high productivity and endemism may be the relatively stable nature of precipitationThe Karoo apparently does not experience drought on a regular basis, so even though the area is technically desert, regular winter rains provide enough moisture to support the region’s interesting plant community. Another feature of the Kalahari, indeed many parts of Namibia, are Inselbergs, isolated mountains that create microclimates and habitat for organisms not adapted to life in the surrounding desert matrix.
Besides the capital city Windhoek in the center of the country, other important towns are the ports of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, as well as Oshakati and Grootfontein.
EconomyMain article: Economy of NamibiaNamibia’s economy consists primarily of mining and manufacturing which represent 74% and 11% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) respectively. Namibia has a 30-40% unemployment rate and recently passed a 2004 labour act to protect people from job discrimination stemming from pregnancy and HIV/AIDS status. Namibia’s economy is tied closely to South Africa’s due to their shared history. The Central Plateau serves as a transportation corridor from the more densely populated north to South Africa, the source of four-fifths of Namibia’s imports. Namibia is the fourth largest exporter of non-fuel minerals in Africa, and the world's fifth largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood, but Namibia must still import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is five times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorest countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment. Namibia has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the world. Agreement has been reached on the privatisation of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment. However, reinvestment of environmentally derived capital has hobbled Namibian per capita income. One of the fastest growing areas of economic development in Namibia is the growth of wildlife conservancies. These conservancies are particularly important to the rural generally unemployed population.
Child labour occurs in Namibia, and the country is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, which is expected to be adopted in the period 2006-2007. For more information, see this article
Tourism Windhoek skyline.Main article: Tourism in NamibiaNamibia generally attracts eco-tourists with the majority visiting to experience the different climates and natural geographical landscapes such as the great eastern desert and plains. There are many lodges and reserves for eco-tourists to travel to and stay over.
Politics
The politics of Namibia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Namibia is elected to a five year term and is both the head of state and the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the bicameral Parliament, the National Assembly and the National Council. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Communal Wildlife Conservancies
Namibia is the only country in the world to specifically address conservation and protection of natural resources in their constitution. Article 95 states, “The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at the following: maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity of Namibia, and utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.”
In 1993, the newly formed government of Namibia received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Living in a Finite Environment (LIFE) Project. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism with the financial support from organizations such as USAID, Endangered Wildlife Trust, WWF, and Canadian Ambassador’s Fund, together form a Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) support structure. The main goal of this project is promote sustainable natural resource management by giving local communities rights to wildlife management and tourism.
Demographics A group of Herero women, Windhoek, Namibia A Himba teenager, north of Opuwo, NamibiaMain article: Demographics of NamibiaNamibia is among the three sovereign countries with the lowest population density. The majority of the Namibian population is black African mostly of the Owambo tribe, which forms about half of the population — and concentrated in the north of the country. In addition to the Bantu majority, there are large groups of Khoisan (e.g. Nama and Bushmen), who are descendants of the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Khoisan differ significantly in appearance from both Bantu and White Africans. Blacks of other Bantu descent are descendants of refugees from Angola. There are also two smaller groups of people with mixed racial origins, called "Coloureds" and "Basters", who together make up 8% (with the Coloureds outnumbering the Basters two to one). Whites of Portuguese, Dutch, German, British and French ancestry make up about 5% of the population (about 85,000) which is the second largest proportion and number in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa. Most of Namibian whites and nearly all those of mixed race are Afrikaans speakers and share similar origins, culture, religion and genealogy as the white and coloured populations of neighbouring South Africa. A smaller proportion of whites (around 13,000) trace their family origins directly back to German settlers and maintain German cultural and educational institutions. Nearly all Portuguese are miners and settlers from their former colony of Angola.
Half of all Namibians speak Oshiwambo as their first language, whereas the most widely understood language is Afrikaans. Among the younger generation, the most widely understood language is English.
Although its official language is English, Namibia is a multilingual country as it is illustrated on these examples in English, German, Afrikaans and Oshiwambo.Both Afrikaans and English are used primarily as a second language reserved for public sphere communication, but small first language groups exist throughout the country. While the official language is English, most of the white population speaks either Afrikaans or German, both official languages until 1990 when Namibia became independent. Portuguese is spoken by blacks and whites from Angola. Christianity is the major religion, with the Lutheran Church being the largest then followed by the Roman Catholic.
The government of Namibia puts the number of people who practice Islam in Namibia at about 70,000 or about 3% of the population of Namibia. The Namaqua ethnic group makes up the largest group in Namibia's Muslim community.
HIV/AIDS in NamibiaThe AIDS epidemic is a very large problem in Namibia. Namibia’s infection rate is one of the highest on the continent and it shares its eastern border with Botswana which has the highest rate of almost 39%. In 2001, there were an estimated 210,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and the estimated death toll in 2003 was 16,000. In north and central Namibia, malaria is also a pressing problem. The malaria problem seems to be compounded by the epidemic. Research has shown in Namibia, that the risk of contracting malaria is 14.5% greater if a person is also infected with HIV. The risk of death from malaria is also raised by approximately 50% with a concurrent HIV infection. Given infection rates this large as well as a looming malaria problem, it may be very difficult for the government to deal with both the medical and economic impacts of this epidemic.
Foreign relations
Namibia follows a largely independent foreign policy, with lingering affiliations with states that aided the independence struggle, including Libya and Cuba.
With a small army and a fragile economy, the Namibian Government's principal foreign policy concern is developing strengthened ties within the Southern African region. A dynamic member of the Southern African Development Community, Namibia is a vocal advocate for greater regional integration.
Namibia became the 160th member of the United Nations on April 23, 1990. On its independence it became the fiftieth member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Reporters Without Borders' Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007 ranks Namibia as 25th out of 169 countries, as compared with 56th out of 166 in 2003, and 31st out of 139 in 2002.
International disputesNamibia is involved in several minor international disputes, including:
Small residual disputes with Botswana along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands (known as Kasikili Isalong the Orange River; A dormant dispute over where the boundaries of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge; Disputes over Angolan rebels and refugees residing in Namibia.
MilitaryMain article: Military of NamibiaThe constitution of Namibia defined the role of the military as "defending the territory and national interests." Namibia formed the National Defence Force (NDF), comprising former enemies in a 23-year bush war: the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and South West African Territorial Force (SWATF). The British formulated the force integration plan and began training the NDF, which consists of five battalions and a small headquarters element. The United Nations Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG)'s Kenyan infantry battalion remained in Namibia for three months after independence to assist in training the NDF and stabilize the north. According to the Namibian Defence Ministry, enlistments of both men and women will number no more than 7,500. Defence and security account for less than 8% of government spending.
Wikipedia - Namibia
Mozambique Islands - The Quirimbas Islands
The Quirimbas Islands lie in the Indian Ocean off northeastern Mozambique, close to Pemba, the capital of the province of Cabo Delgado. The archipelago consists of about 27 islands, including Ibo, Matemo, Quilaluia, Quirimba, Quisiva and Rolas Island.
Originally home to fishing settlements, the islands' population grew around Arab trading posts and thrived under the Portuguese slave trade. Today, many of the islands are uninhabitated.
The Quirimbas National Park, spanning an area of 1500 km, protects most of the islands, which are partly surrounded by mangroves. The park was established in 2002.
These islands are known for their high-quality diving sites, including phenomenal drop-offs, some up to 400 meters.
Wikipedia - The Quirimbas Islands
Originally home to fishing settlements, the islands' population grew around Arab trading posts and thrived under the Portuguese slave trade. Today, many of the islands are uninhabitated.
The Quirimbas National Park, spanning an area of 1500 km, protects most of the islands, which are partly surrounded by mangroves. The park was established in 2002.
These islands are known for their high-quality diving sites, including phenomenal drop-offs, some up to 400 meters.
Wikipedia - The Quirimbas Islands
Mozambique Islands - Primeiras Island
Primeiras Island is an island in Mozambique, Africa. Located off the southeast coast of Africa.
Mozambique Islands - The Island of Mozambique
The Island of Mozambique (Portuguese: Ilha de Moambique) lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay. It has a population of around 14,000 people and is part of Nampula Province.
HistoryThe Island of Mozambique is situated near Nacala harbour town in Nampula ProvinceThe island was a major Arab port and boatbuilding centre long before Vasco da Gama visited in 1498. The Portuguese established a port and naval base as early as 1507, while the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte, built in 1522, is considered the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere.
During the sixteenth century, the Fort of São Sebastião (also: St. Sebastiao) was built, and the Portuguese settlement (now known as Stone Town) became the capital of Portuguese East Africa. The island also became an important missionary centre and is now a World Heritage Site. It withstood Dutch attacks in 1607 and 1608 and remained a major post for the Portuguese on their trips to India. It saw the trading of slaves, spices and gold.
With the opening of the Suez canal, the island's fortunes waned. In 1898, the capital was relocated to Loureno Marques (now Maputo) on the mainland. By the middle of the twentieth century, the new harbour of Nacala took most of the remaining business.
AttractionsOther notable buildings on the island include the Palace and Chapel of São Paulo, built in 1610, now a museum; the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in the former hospital of the Holy House of Mercy displaying an excellent Makonde crucifix; the Church of Santo Antonio; the Church of the Misericordia; and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte. The island, now entirely urbanised, is also home to several mosques and a Hindu temple. A 3km bridge was erected in the 1960s to connect it to the mainland.
The island in itself is not very big, about 3 km long and between 200 and 500 metre wide. Most historical buildings are at the island's northern end. The majority of the residents live in reed houses in Makuti Town at the southern end of the island.
Wikipedia - The Island of Mozambique
HistoryThe Island of Mozambique is situated near Nacala harbour town in Nampula ProvinceThe island was a major Arab port and boatbuilding centre long before Vasco da Gama visited in 1498. The Portuguese established a port and naval base as early as 1507, while the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte, built in 1522, is considered the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere.
During the sixteenth century, the Fort of São Sebastião (also: St. Sebastiao) was built, and the Portuguese settlement (now known as Stone Town) became the capital of Portuguese East Africa. The island also became an important missionary centre and is now a World Heritage Site. It withstood Dutch attacks in 1607 and 1608 and remained a major post for the Portuguese on their trips to India. It saw the trading of slaves, spices and gold.
With the opening of the Suez canal, the island's fortunes waned. In 1898, the capital was relocated to Loureno Marques (now Maputo) on the mainland. By the middle of the twentieth century, the new harbour of Nacala took most of the remaining business.
AttractionsOther notable buildings on the island include the Palace and Chapel of São Paulo, built in 1610, now a museum; the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in the former hospital of the Holy House of Mercy displaying an excellent Makonde crucifix; the Church of Santo Antonio; the Church of the Misericordia; and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte. The island, now entirely urbanised, is also home to several mosques and a Hindu temple. A 3km bridge was erected in the 1960s to connect it to the mainland.
The island in itself is not very big, about 3 km long and between 200 and 500 metre wide. Most historical buildings are at the island's northern end. The majority of the residents live in reed houses in Makuti Town at the southern end of the island.
Wikipedia - The Island of Mozambique
Mozambique Islands - Inhaca Island
Inhaca is a settlement in Mozambique, on the subtropical Inhaca Island (Ilha da Inhaca in Portuguese) off the East African coast. Inhaca settlement is centered on a missionary station located about 32km east of Maputo. The 52km island is situated at 26°S, 33°E, and separates Maputo Bay (Baía de Maputo) to the west from the Indian Ocean off its eastern shores. The island's irregular coastline approaches mainland Machangulo Peninsula at Ponta Torres where a 500m-wide tidal race separates the two headlands. In administrative terms Inhaca is a municipal district of the municipality of Maputo, while the Machangulo peninsula is included under the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area and is part of the district of Matutuíne, Maputo Province.
EconomyMaputo Bay from space in January 1990. Inhaca Island and Machangulo Peninsula are clearly visible at the bottom left edge of the bay.A population of 2,000 people subsist on fishing and agriculture. At low tide women harvest crabs, oysters and fish from the western shallows. At high tide fishing boats leave the island for deeper sea fishing. The island is a popular winter destination of South African tourists.
HistoryTsonga chief Nhaca, a protector of early shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, lends his name to the later settlement. Later 16th century Portuguese traders established an Inhaca Island base to ply the Bay of the Lagoon's (Baía da Lagoa) rivers in search of ivory. A 1747 map by Emanuel Bowen records 'Inhaqua' settlement on the mainland peninsula while referring to the island as 'I. S. Maria'.
The first light house dates from 1894, and was upgraded in the 1920's. A marine biological station (the 'MBS') was built in 1951 and some of the shores were declared nature reserves in 1976. Of late the biological station came under administration of the Eduardo Mondlane University.
Traveller's destinationsThe Inhacazul Lodge and Pestana Hotel are the main destinations of travellers from where different excursions are often undertaken, including scuba diving and snorkelling outings. Backpackers mostly visit a catering camping area within walking distance of the landing jetty, and are required to take bottled water and their own tents. Inhaca village is within a 5 minute drive from the camp where there are two restaurants, two bars, a grocery store and a marketplace.
The lodges are visited by means of return flights that depart from Maputo airport and reach the island airstrip in ten minutes. Voyages by ferry or boat from Maputo take two to three hours. Travellers depart from Maputo's ferry terminal and reach the island's landing jetty at high tide, but have to wade some sandy shallows during low tide. Transit charges vary from 300 Meticais (about 70 Rand) per person by government ferry and R250 by private ferry return - to R500 per person by boat, as of 2006.
Wikipedia - Inhaca
EconomyMaputo Bay from space in January 1990. Inhaca Island and Machangulo Peninsula are clearly visible at the bottom left edge of the bay.A population of 2,000 people subsist on fishing and agriculture. At low tide women harvest crabs, oysters and fish from the western shallows. At high tide fishing boats leave the island for deeper sea fishing. The island is a popular winter destination of South African tourists.
HistoryTsonga chief Nhaca, a protector of early shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, lends his name to the later settlement. Later 16th century Portuguese traders established an Inhaca Island base to ply the Bay of the Lagoon's (Baía da Lagoa) rivers in search of ivory. A 1747 map by Emanuel Bowen records 'Inhaqua' settlement on the mainland peninsula while referring to the island as 'I. S. Maria'.
The first light house dates from 1894, and was upgraded in the 1920's. A marine biological station (the 'MBS') was built in 1951 and some of the shores were declared nature reserves in 1976. Of late the biological station came under administration of the Eduardo Mondlane University.
Traveller's destinationsThe Inhacazul Lodge and Pestana Hotel are the main destinations of travellers from where different excursions are often undertaken, including scuba diving and snorkelling outings. Backpackers mostly visit a catering camping area within walking distance of the landing jetty, and are required to take bottled water and their own tents. Inhaca village is within a 5 minute drive from the camp where there are two restaurants, two bars, a grocery store and a marketplace.
The lodges are visited by means of return flights that depart from Maputo airport and reach the island airstrip in ten minutes. Voyages by ferry or boat from Maputo take two to three hours. Travellers depart from Maputo's ferry terminal and reach the island's landing jetty at high tide, but have to wade some sandy shallows during low tide. Transit charges vary from 300 Meticais (about 70 Rand) per person by government ferry and R250 by private ferry return - to R500 per person by boat, as of 2006.
Wikipedia - Inhaca
Mozambique Islands - Chiloane Island
Chiloane Island is an island in Mozambique, Africa. Located off the southeast coast of Africa.
Mozambique Islands - Bazaruto Archipelago
The Bazaruto Archipelago is a group of islands in Mozambique, near the mainland city of Vilankulo. It comprises the islands of Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Banque and Santa Carolina.
The islands were formed from sand deposited by the Limpopo River, which has since shifted its course. Tourist attractions include sandy beaches, coral reefs, and opportunities for surfing and fishing. The archipelago became a National Park in 1971.
Wikipedia - Bazaruto Archipelago
The islands were formed from sand deposited by the Limpopo River, which has since shifted its course. Tourist attractions include sandy beaches, coral reefs, and opportunities for surfing and fishing. The archipelago became a National Park in 1971.
Wikipedia - Bazaruto Archipelago
Mozambique Islands - Angoche Island
Angoche Island is a small continental island in the district of same name, Mozambique. Being a coastal island its main source of income was the illegal shipment of slaves, which allowed for the enrichment of the aristocratic classes of the Nyapakho clan. It was not taken by the Portuguese until 1913, thanks to the bravery resistance of the sultan, particularly Ibrahim Iussuf. His nephew, who was the commander-in-chief of a 30.000 men army took over power and opposed with tenacity the Portuguese until 1890. By then, Farlah, the last sultan resumed the war against the Portuguese until he was captured in a battle in 1910 and deported to East Timor where he died in prison. The small island is subject to cyclones, Cyclone Huda in particular, and so permanent habitation has not been possible. Angoche is the larger producer of cashew and shrimps in Mozambique.
Wikipedia - Angoche Island
Wikipedia - Angoche Island
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