Providence Atoll
 Providence Atoll
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|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 09°18′S 51°00′E / 9.300°S 51.000°ECoordinates: 09°18′S 51°00′E / 9.300°S 51.000°E |
| Archipelago | Seychelles |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Indian Ocean |
| Total islands | 2 |
| Major islands |
|
| Area | 2.82 km2 (1.09 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Group | Outer Islands |
| Sub-Group | Farquhar Group |
| Sub-Group | Providence Islands |
| Districts | Outer Islands District |
|
Largest settlement
|
Providence
(population 0) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Creole |
| Population | 0 (2014) |
| Pop. density | 0 /km2 (0 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Creole, French, East Africans, Indians. |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| Official website | www |
| ISO Code = SC-26 | |
The Providence Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands, with a distance of 705 km (438 mi) southwest of the capital, Victoria, on Mahé Island.
The atoll was discovered in 1501 by Joao da Nova, a Portuguese explorer. The atoll was under British control until 1976 when they became part of Seychelles at the time of independence. Providence got its name after an event which happened in 1763. A French frigate, ”Heureuse” , was stranded on its reef, 705 km from Victoria near the northern end of the atoll. The sailors reached Providence Island and were rescued a month later. It proved the salvation(fr: Providence) of the French sailors. Cerf got its name after one of the ships of Captain Nicolas Morphey, called Le Cerf, who sighted the island on 30 July 1756.
The islands of Providence Atoll are small, coraline and inhospitable. The atoll has length of 44 km (27 mi) on its north-south axis, and about 12 km (7 mi) width. The total area covered by the atoll is approximating 345 km2 (133 sq mi). The aggregate land area, however, is only 2.82 km2 (1.1 sq mi). West of the atoll, the sea-bottom plunges steeply to 180 metres only, 2.5 km beyond the fringing reef.
There are two islands in the atoll:
Providence Island is located in the far north of the atoll, at 9°13′S 51°02′E / 9.217°S 51.033°E. It is 3.6 km (2 mi) long north-south, and up to 650 m (2,130 ft) at its widest part. It has the shape of a kite. The land area is 1.72 km², with a coastline of 7.8 km (5 mi).
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Wikipedia