D'Arros Island
{{Short description|Island in Seychelles}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = D'Arros Island
| image_name = File:D'Arros Island (32897292650).jpg
| image_caption = A beach on D'Arros Island
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| map = Seychelles
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| native_name_lang = fr
| sobriquet =
| location = Indian Ocean
| coordinates = {{coord|05|24|S|53|18|E|region:SC_type:isle_dim:50000|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago = Seychelles
| waterbody = Indian Ocean
| total_islands = 1
| major_islands = {{hlist|D'Arros}}
| area_km2 = 1.71
| coastline_km = 5.1
| length_km = 2.0
| width_km = 1.0
| highest_mount =
| elevation_m = 3
| country = Seychelles
| country_admin_divisions_title = Group
| country_admin_divisions = Outer Islands
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Sub-Group
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Amirante Islands
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Sub-Group
| country_admin_divisions_2 = D'Arros Island Marine Protected Areahttps://seymsp.com/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
| country_admin_divisions_title_3 = Districts
| country_admin_divisions_3 = Outer Islands District
| country_largest_city = D'Arros
| country_largest_city_population = 42
| population = 42
| population_as_of = 2014
| density_km2 = 24.5
| ethnic_groups = Creole, French, East Africans, Indians.
| timezone1 = SCT
| utc_offset1 = +4
| website = {{URL|http://www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands}}
| iso_code_type = ISO code
| iso_code = SC-26
}}
D'Arros Island is part of the Amirante Islands group, which are in the Outer Islands (Coralline Seychelles) coral archipelago of the Seychelles islands and nation. The island is located west of the granitic Inner Seychelles archipelago, with a distance of 255 km south of Victoria, Seychelles.
History
The island was discovered in 1770 by European sailors.[https://books.google.com/books?id=IJE9AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA2-PA210 Info on Mauritius and its dependencies]
D'Arros Island bears the name of the Baron d'Arros, Marine Commandant of Île de France (now Mauritius), from 1770 to 1771.
;Private island
In 1975, The island became the property of prince Shahram Pahlavi Nia of Iran.[http://www.privateislandnews.com/seychelles-conservancy-founder-buys-darros-island-from-loreal-heiress/ Ownership change]
in 1998 it was bought by French billionaire Liliane Bettencourt (daughter of founder and main shareholder of L'Oreal) for US$18 million.[http://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Affaire-Bettencourt-voici-D-Arros-l-ile-mysterieuse-151980 Paris Match][http://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.fr/2010/07/17/affaire-bettencourt-les-attaches-bearnaises-de-l-ile-d-arros,147219.php La republique]
;Nature preserve
In August 2012 it was revealed that the island had once more been sold, for US$60 million, to be managed by the Save Our Seas Foundation Foundation.{{Cite web|title= L'Oreal heiress Bettencourt sells Seychelles island
|date= August 1, 2012
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19084125
|publisher=BBC News
}} They will manage it as a nature reserve.{{Cite web|title= The D'Arros Group of Island becomes a natural reserve managed by Save our Seas Foundation
|date= August 1, 2012
|url=http://features.saveourseas.com/darros-and-st-joseph-reserve/
|publisher= Save Our Seas Foundation
}} In 2014, it was officially designated a nature reserve.{{cite web|title=Seychelles island of D'Arros becomes an official nature reserve|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/1034/Seychelles+island+of+DArros+becomes+an+official+nature+reserve|website=Seychelles News Agency|accessdate=June 21, 2017}}
Geography
D'Arros Island is located only {{convert|2.3|km|mi}} west of the northern part of St. Joseph Atoll, but it is a separate geographical unit, separated by {{convert|60|-|62|m|ft}} deep water of a {{convert|1|km|mi}} wide channel, which is deeper than much of the Amirantes Bank.
The land area of the island occupies {{convert|1.71|km2|mi2}}. D'Arros Island is an oval-shaped, flat coral sand cay, oriented northeast–southwest, {{convert|2|km|mi}} long and {{convert|1|km|mi}} wide, and nowhere higher than {{convert|3|m|ft}}.
=Coral reefs=
The island stands on a detached patch coral reef similarly orientated, with maximum dimensions of {{convert|2.6|km|mi}} and {{convert|1.4|km|mi}}. A shallow sand spit extends {{convert|0.2|km|mi}} northeast from it. The island stands on the northern sector of the reef atoll. There are drying reef flats {{convert|200|-|370|m|ft}} wide on its south side, but only a narrow fringing reef about {{convert|75|m|ft}} wide on its north side.
Administration
The island belongs to Outer Islands District.[https://web.archive.org/web/20081115125037/http://www.virtualseychelles.sc/downloads/pdf/electoral_districts.pdf District map]
Being an island with a small population, there are not any government buildings or services. For many services, people have to go to Victoria, which is a difficult task.
Demographics
The island has a permanent population of 42. There are several buildings on the island, with one large house used by the owner and a number of smaller, permanently occupied houses for the staff. A small area of the island is cultivated for personal consumption of the residents.
The small village is on the north coast.{{Cite web |url=https://www.panoramio.com/photo/14274841 |title=Village Photo |access-date=2017-12-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416205307/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14274841 |archive-date=2016-04-16 |url-status=dead }}
Flora & Fauna
Much of the island area is covered by vegetation. The tree tops reach heights of {{convert|27|m|ft}}. The vegetation is dominated by the native coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), and introduced horsetail beefwood (Casuarina equisetifolia) trees.
In 1965, five Seychelles fody (Foudia sechellarum) birds from Cousin Island were introduced to D'Arros and they have since increased to a population of a few hundred.{{Cite web|title= D'Arros Island
|date=
|url=http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6792
|publisher= BirdLife International
}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160213213637/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/seychelles-islands-nature-reserve-national-parks/ Article on nature reserve][https://vimeo.com/110647938 video]
The [https://saveourseas.com/sosf-darros-research-centre/ Save Our Seas Foundation D'Arros Research Centre] mainly undertakes research on sharks, rays and turtles year-round but the centre also hosts visiting research groups and university students.{{cite web | url=https://saveourseas.com/sosf-darros-research-centre/ | title=Home }}
Transport
A {{convert|975|m|ft}} unpaved airstrip {{airport codes||FSDA}} bisects the island in the southwest. The island is serviced by an Island Development Company (IDC), Air Seychelles or Zil Air aircraft from Mahé.
Economics
The inhabitants on the island are engaged in very small scale farming and fishing which are mainly for the island consumption.
Image gallery
File:Seychelles large map.jpg|Map 1
File:Outer Islands in Seychelles.svg|District Map
File:NASA-Saint-Joseph-Darros.jpg|NASA-D'Arros Island
File:Arros island ISS022-E-21186 cropped.JPG|D'Arros Island
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{Portal|Africa}}
- [http://www.seychelles.org/outer-islands/amirantes-islands Island guide 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126085427/http://www.seychelles.org/outer-islands/amirantes-islands |date=2020-11-26 }}
- [http://www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands/74-discover/the-islands/outer-islands/3012-darros Island guide 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105155213/http://www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands/74-discover/the-islands/outer-islands/3012-darros |date=2018-01-05 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120505111145/http://www.nbs.gov.sc/archives/551 National Bureau of Statistics]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160413233813/http://www.virtualseychelles.sc/index.php/culture/2013-08-21-09-23-55/seychelles-archipelago-part-v Info on the island]
{{Seychelles Outer Islands|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Arros Island}}
Category:Private islands of Seychelles