Seychelles

Seychelles A country comprising an archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

Physical

The Seychelles consists of 92 islands lying 4°S of the Equator and some 1500 km (930 miles) from the east African coast. One group, of which Mahé at 142 sq km (55 sq miles) is the largest, is mainly hilly; another outlying group is mostly flat. The climate is warm and wet.

Economy

Tourism is the mainstay of the economy. The main exports are fish and copra.

History

The islands were uninhabited until colonized by the French. They were discovered in 1609 by an expedition of the British East India Company and formally annexed to France in 1756. They were captured from the French by Britain in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars and were administered from MAURITIUS before becoming a separate crown colony in 1903. The islands gained universal suffrage in 1970, becoming an independent republic in 1975. In 1977 there was a coup, the Prime Minister, France-Albert René proclaiming himself President, and being re-elected in 1989. In 1991 he ended his resistance to the legalization of opposition parties. Multiparty elections held in 1993 resulted in a landslide victory for René's Seychelles People's Progressive Front.

Capital:	Victoria
Area:	453 sq km (175 sq miles)
Population:	79,400 (1998 est)
Currency:	1 Seychelles rupee = 100 cents
Religions:	Roman Catholic 90.9%; other Christian (mostly Anglican) 7.5%; Hindu 0.7%
Ethnic Groups:	Seychellois creole (mixture of Asian, African, and European) 89.1% Indian 4.7%; Malagasy 3.1%; Chinese 1.6%; British 1.5%
Languages:	Creole, English, French (all official)
International Organizations:	UN; Commonwealth; OAU