Frégate Island
  Location of Frégate Island in Seychelles | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Seychelles |
| Coordinates | 4°35′48″S 55°56′48″E / 4.59667°S 55.94667°ECoordinates: 4°35′48″S 55°56′48″E / 4.59667°S 55.94667°E |
| Archipelago | Inner Islands, Seychelles |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Indian Ocean |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Major islands |
|
| Area | 2.07 km2 (0.80 sq mi) |
| Length | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) |
| Width | 1.8 km (1.12 mi) |
| Coastline | 6.35 km (3.946 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 125 m (410 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Signal |
| Administration | |
| Group | Inner Islands |
| Sub-Group | Granitic Seychelles |
| Districts | La Digue and Inner Islands |
| Island Group | Frégate Group |
Largest settlement |
Frégate village (population ~150) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Creole |
| Population | 214 (as of 2014) |
| Density | 103.4 /km2 (267.8 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Creole, French, East Africans, Indians. |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| Official website |
www |
| ISO Code = SC-01 | |
Frégate Island or sometimes Frigate Island is an island in Seychelles. Its northern part is privately owned by billionaire Otto Happel private island[1][2] while its southern part is public. The island is the easternmost (55 km (34 mi) east of Mahé) of the granitic Inner Islands of the Seychelles. It is only 2.07 square kilometres (0.80 sq mi) and is primarily known as a secluded, private luxury resort and its Anse Victorin beach was voted "The World's Best Beach" by The Times.[3] It was named by explorer Lazare Picault after the abundance of frigatebirds on the island. The hotel underwent modernizing in 1995, and the island is also noted for its snorkeling.
The island is covered with takamaka, cashew and Indian almond trees and is home to the rare Seychelles magpie robin as well as several relocated Aldabra giant tortoises. It also has endemic species, including the flightless Frégate Island giant tenebrionid beetle and some species of millipedes.
Geography
The highest point on the island is called Mount Signal,[4] which reaches a peak of 125 metres (410 feet) in the central west area of the island. The Riviére Bambous flows from approximately 300 metres north-east of the mountain where it flows down past the Gros Bois Noire and Plaine Magnan areas of the northern inner island and then acutely northeast until it reaches the Indian Ocean north of the airstrip on the east coast.[3] Beaches on the north coast include from west to east the award winning Anse Victorin beach, Anse Maquereau and then Anse Bambous on the north-east corner of the island. On the western point of the island there is the Pointe Fouqué and then on the southwest coast the Grand Anse, Petit Grande Anse and the small beach Anse Felix. On the southeastern coast there are the small beaches of Anse Coup de Poing and Anse Parc.
Economy
The population is occupied in tourism, agriculture and fishing. On Frégate there is the biggest Flora nursery of the Seychelles, created in 2009 to recover tens of thousands of native trees. The island has an airport (IATA: FRK, ICAO: FSSF ), which has a dirt runway with a length of 502 meters. A big plantation on the south-east at Anse parc, where the villagers grow fruits and vegetables. In 1995, the resort was built, consisting of 16 individual villas, which can simultaneously accommodate up to 40 people. For the needs of tourists there are 2 restaurants, a spa, a yacht club, a library, a Catholic chapel and museum. The island does not have paved roads. Transport is only on foot or by bicycle.
References
- ↑ Randolph Lancaster, Laura (April 2001). "Best Wishes". Ebony (Johnson Publishing) 56 (6): 20. ISSN 0012-9011. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
- ↑ Official website
- 1 2 Carpin, Sarah,(1998) Seychelles, Odyssey Guides, p.145, The Guidebook Company Limited, Retrieved on 22 June 2008
- ↑ info 1
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fregate Island. |