Alphonse Atoll
Encyclopedia
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
s of the Alphonse Group
Alphonse Group
The Alphonse Group belong to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, lying in the southwest of the island nation, 403 kilometres southwest the capital, Victoria, on Mahé Island...
, and located 87 km south of the Amirante Islands
Amirante Islands
The Amirante Islands , a group of coral islands and atolls, belong to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. They stretch about 155 km from the African Banks in the north to Île Desnœufs in the south, all on the shallow Amirantes Bank , except the main island Île Desroches in...
, and just three kilometers north of St. François Atoll
St. François Atoll
St. François Atoll is one of two atolls of the Alphonse Group of the Seychelles, just three kilometers south of Alphonse Atoll, the second atoll of Alphonse Group. The atoll is uninhabited and has two islands, St. François and Bijoutier Island...
, the second atoll of Alphonse Group. The atoll has just one island, Alphonse Island, with a population of fewer than 300. It was discovered on 28 January 1730 by Chevalier Alphonse de Pontevez, commanding the French frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
Le Lys. A luxury hotel has been built on Alphonse Island, generating frequent traffic between other islands in the group. The area of the island is 1.74 km². The total area of the atoll, with more than 3 km in diameter, is about 8 km², including reef flat and lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
.