Geologically, the islands are the remains of a part of the Indian plate which split off before India moved into Asia. They were uninhabited when discovered.

Like Mauritius and some West Indian islands the islands were first settled by the French and passed to the British later at the end of the Napoleonic wars (1814).

Since independence the islands have been for a period pro-western, then after a coup became pro-Soviet to some extent (the Soviet Navy had the use of the islands as an anchorage) but western tourists provide the main income. A Tanzanian military contingent was sent there to prevent a coup backed by South African interests and the previous government, based on the foreign business community.

The people are genetically very diverse, being a mixture of European, Asian and African.

Patois

French

English

At independence there was a coalition government of Sir James Mancham and Albert René. Mancham's policy was to bring in foreign capital, which threatened to alienate ownership of the islands' property from the local inhabitants. He was overthrown after a year by a coup led by René who instituted a one party system with the help of a Tanzanian military force and some assistance from North Korea and other communist countries. During the Cold War this made him seem like an enemy of the west.

At the end of the Cold War there was a call for democratic elections following the end of support from the Soviet Union. In December 1991 the President announced the legalization of more than one party. Elections were held in July 1993 and resulted in the government being returned to power, with the previous leader, James Mancham, receiving a third of the vote. Commonwealth observers reported the elections to be fair.

However, opponents of the government are reported to be discriminated against in civil service jobs and housing.

Tourism is the main earner of foreign exchange. However, there are rumors of oil in some of the outlying sea basins, part of a continental fragment related to the oil field off Bombay. If these are proved and developed the economic position could be transformed into an Indian Ocean Kuwait. The present GNP per head is in the middle range ($5000).

The island of Aldabra is included in the archipelago. It was considered for an airbase at one time which would have damaged the giant land turtles endemic to the island.

The islands in general have many species endemic (not found elsewhere). The most notorious is a mutation of the coconut which resembles female buttocks.

Although the islands have mountains, the low lying land is vulnerable to sea-level rise.