The Granite Islands

How Many Granite Islands are in the Seychelles?

There are 42 granite islands in the Seychelles archipelago, including Mahé and Praslin. These islands form the heart of the Seychelles, and are also the only remote oceanic islands in the world that originated from a single continental mass, with no coral or volcanic influence.

The Seychelles came about due to continental drift. 200 million years ago, these islands belonged to a huge supercontinent, Gondwana. Later, violent tectonic movements divided this continent, and its remnants can now be found in South America, Africa, Madagascar, the Indian subcontinent, Australia, and Antarctica. As the continent broke apart, water flooded the gaps and the Indian Ocean came to be. The landmasses moved further apart over time, but some remnants were left behind between Africa and India, and the inner Seychelles islands are some of these relics.

In total 42 of the Seychelles' islands are made up of granitic rock

The granite islands of the Seychelles are well-known for their tropical rainforest interiors, the boulder formations that often line their beaches, and for being the home to the vast majority of Seychellois people. They also offer the majority of the tourist accommodation in the Seychelles, with hotels or resorts on Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Cerf Island, Sainte Anne, Silhouette, North Island, Curieuse, Félicité, Round, and Frégate.