Victoria, Seychelles

Victoria
Location of Victoria on Mahé Island
Country	Seychelles
Island	Mahé
Population (2002)
• Total	24,970

Victoria's centrally located clock tower

Victoria (sometimes called Port Victoria) is the capital city of the Seychelles (smallest African capital) and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé island, which is the main island of the archipelago. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government. As of 2009, the population is 25,000 (for Greater Victoria, which includes the suburbs), out of the population of 84,000. Victoria is served by Seychelles International Airport (completed in 1971.)

The principal exports of Victoria are vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, tortoise shell, soap, and guano.

Attractions in the city include a clocktower modelled on that of Vauxhall Clock Tower in London, England, the Courthouse, the Victoria Botanical Gardens, the Victoria National Museum of History, the Victoria Natural History Museum and the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market. The city is also home to the national stadium and a polytechnic institute, while the inner harbour lies immediately east of the town, around which tuna fishing and canning form a major local industry. One of the largest bridges in Victoria was destroyed by tsunami waves from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Victoria proper is composed of parts of three Districts of Seychelles:

1. English River (La Riviere Anglaise) (the innermost part)
2. Saint Louis
3. Mont Fleuri

Greater Victoria encompasses these three, and five more of the 25 Districts of Seychelles as follows:

1. Mont Buxton
2. Bel Air
3. Roche Caiman
4. Les Mamelles
5. Plaisance