[2] From the early to mid-sixteenth century, the atoll had been vaguely named after Portuguese explorer João da Nova, who first encountered Farquhar and the Outer Islands while commandeering his country's expedition to India in 1504.

In 1881, officials in Seychelles suggested that Farquhar Atoll (along with several other outer islands) be administered from their capital, Victoria, rather than from Mauritius.

The Islands Development Company (IDC) commenced the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the island's infrastructure, rebuilding the guest house and hotel for groups taking reserved catch and release flyfishing trips (operated by Alphonse Fishing Company).

Farquhar Atoll is notable for its high sand dunes, some of which reach to over 23 metres (75 feet) in height.

The main group of islands form a long curve which describes the eastern side of the atoll.

There is a jetty in the settlement [10] The inhabitants on the island are engaged in very small scale farming, livestock, salted fish production and coconut processing which include production of copra, pounac[check spelling] and coconut oil.

[12] A later survey, conducted in 2007, suggested an increase in the number of nesting females, thanks to the protected status given to sea turtles in Seychelles in 1994.

Other fauna of interest includes several species of day gecko (genus Phelsuma), such as the gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma laticauda), as well as the coconut crab (Birgus latro), a land-dwelling, semi-arboreal species of hermit crab, the largest terrestrial arthropod known.