Seychelles

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Repiblik Sesel
République des Seychelles
Republic of Seychelles


Flag	Coat of arms

Motto
"Finis Coronat Opus" (Latin)
"The End Crowns the Work"

Anthem
Koste Seselwa

Capital
(and largest city)

Victoria
4°35′S, 55°40′E

Official languages English, French, Seychellois Creole

Government

Republic

- President James Michel

Independence from the United Kingdom

- Date 29 June 1976

Area

- Total 455 km² (197th)
176 sq mi

- Water (%) negligible

Population

- 2005 estimate 80,654 (205th)

- Density 178 /km² (60th)
458 /sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate

- Total $626 million (203rd)

- Per capita $11,818 (57th)

HDI (2004) 0.842 (high) (47th)

Currency Seychellois rupee (SCR)

Time zone SCT (UTC+4)

- Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+4)

Internet TLD

.sc

Calling code +248

Seychelles (pronounced /seɪˈʃɛl/ or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ ["say shells"] in English and /seʃɛl/ in French), officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an archipelago nation of 158 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,600 km east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest, and the Suvadives of the Maldives to the northeast. Seychelles has the smallest population of any sovereign state of Africa.

1 History
2 Politics
3 Administrative divisions
4 Economy
5 Demographics
6 Culture
7 Flora and Fauna
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 Further reading
10 References
11 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Seychelles

While Austronesian seafarers or Arab traders may have been the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles, the first recorded sighting of them took place in 1505, by the Portuguese. As a transit point for trading between Africa and Asia, they were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control of the islands starting in 1756, naming them after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, the French finance minister at the time.

The British contested control over the islands with the French between 1794 and 1811, with the British eventually gaining the upper hand and being ceded the islands in 1814. The Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903 and independence was granted in 1976, as a republic within the Commonwealth. The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1992.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Seychelles

The Seychelles president, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The previous president, France Albert René, was democratically elected after the constitutional reforms of 1992, though he had been in power since a coup d'état in 1977. He stood down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature.

The unicameral Seychellois parliament, the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, consists of 34 members, of whom 25 are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining 9 seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.

Politics is a topic of hot debate in the country - with many claiming there is a social and economic divide between the two leading parties and their supporters.

The Seychelles are part of the Indian Ocean Commission.

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main article: Districts of Seychelles

The famous clock tower in the centre of Victoria, capital of Seychelles.

Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions, called districts:

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of Seychelles

Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labour force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services.

At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-1992 due largely to the country's significantly overvalued exchange rate, the Gulf War and once again following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S.. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatisation of public enterprises. The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, insurance, banking, imports of basic products, telecommunications, and a wide range of other businesses.

Growth slowed in 1998–2001, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychellois rupee is is anywhere from two thirds to one half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as tourists seek cheaper destinations such as nearby Comoros and Madagascar. A reduction in the number of flights serving the country, primarily due to the inability by airline companies to repatriate funds, has also constrained the growth of the tourism industry. The recent entry of Emirates and Qatar airlines has yet to result in increased growth.

At official exchange rates Seychelles remains the richest country in Africa in terms of GDP per capita. (US$7,504 as of 2005), although if the parallel exchange rate, or purchasing power parity rates, are used, it ranks behind Mauritius and Botswana. Because of economic contraction (the economy declined by about 2% in 2004 and 2005 and is set to decline by at least the same level in 2006) the country is moving downwards in terms of per capita income.

It is important to note that Seychelles is, per capita, the most highly indebted country in the world according to the World Bank, with total public debt around 122.8% of GDP. Approximately two thirds of this debt is owed domestically, with the balance due to multilaterals, bilaterals and commercial banks. The country is in arrears to most of its international creditors and has had to resort to pledged commercial debt to continue to be able to borrow. This high debt burden is a direct consequence of the overvalued exchange rate — in essence, the country is living beyond its means, and financing its lifestyle by borrowing domestically and internationally.

Seychelles is also a tax haven. Many firms are established on this island, including GenerActions Consulting, owned by famous Swiss entrepreneur David Humbert.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Seychelles

See also: Indo-Seychellois, Sino-Seychellois, Seychellois Creole People, Seychellois Creole, and Franco-Seychellois

Victoria, Seychelles.

As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of immigrants, mostly of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent. French and English are official languages along with a French-based Creole. Most Seychellois are Christians; the Roman Catholic Church is the predominant denomination.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Seychelles

Music of Seychelles

The folk music incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion, including English contredanse, polka and mazurka, French folk and pop, sega from Mauritius and Réunion, taarab, soukous and other pan-African genres, and Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian music. A complex form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is montea, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga developed by Patrick Victor.

As of 1992, some ninety percent of the population was Roman Catholic and approximately seven percent Anglican. Although clergy and civil authorities disapprove, many Seychellois see little inconsistency between their orthodox religious observance and belief in magic, witchcraft, and sorcery.

[edit] Flora and Fauna

Palm spider, Seychelles.

The early colonial history of Seychelles is infamous for the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, felling of coastal and mid-level forests and extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet and the saltwater crocodile. The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. Conservation started in the 1960s by a small group of local enthusiasts. Although many of the conservation laws date back to British colonial days, the Seychelles government has strictly protected the natural heritage of the islands for many years. Flagship species, the Seychelles Magpie Robin and the Seychelles Warbler, have been spectacularly rescued from the brink of extinction by BirdLife International and Nature Seychelles in collaboration with private islands and the government of Seychelles. These birds, once restricted to one island each, have been translocated to many others. Seychelles has 12 endemic bird species including the Seychelles Magpie robin, Seychelles black paradise flycatcher, scops owl, white eye, swiftlet, kestrel, Seychelles blue pigeon and sunbird.

Seychelles is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites run by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. They are the island of Aldabra, which is the world's largest raised coral atoll and also the Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, billed as the original site of the Garden of Eden. The Cousin Island Special Reserve, purchased by Royal Society for Nature Conservation in 1968 and managed by Nature Seychelles, is an internationally-known bird and marine sanctuary which has won several awards for conservation and ecotourism. Seychelles has six national marine parks including the St. Anne National Marine Park located adjacent to the capital, Port Victoria which are managed by the government parastatal, Marine Parks Authority. Much of the land territory (about 40%) and a substantial part of the coastal sea around Seychelles are protected as National Parks, including Marine Parks, and Reserves.

A World Bank/Environment Facility project in 1999 and a project for rat eradication has led to a programme of restoration of private islands by the government, Nature Seychelles and private island owners. These islands include Fregate, Denis and Cousine. The management of these islands now employ full time conservation officers and fund conservation programmes. The island restoration program has now been taken to the outer islands by the Island Conservation Society.

The Seychelles are home to 81 endemic plant species. Well-known is the Coco de mer, the beautiful Azul or Zoria, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the 'love nut' because of its suggestive shape, the coco-de-mer is the world's largest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the Wrights Gardenia found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.

The giant tortoises from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. The granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises.

Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Islands such as Bird, Aride, Cousin, Aldabra and Cosmoledo host many species of seabirds including the sooty tern, fairy tern, white-tailed tropicbird, noddies and frigatebirds.

The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs. The reefs comprise of a vast selection of soft corals and hard corals alike. There is great diving and snorkeling opportunity. The taking of marine turtles was completely stopped in 1994, turtle populations are now recovering on several islands, most notably Cousin Island, Silhouette Island and Aldabra. The use of gill nets for shark fishing as well as the practice of shark finning are now banned.

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

[edit] Further reading

Birds of the Seychelles Ian Bullock, Adrian Skerrett, Tony Disley
Bradt travel Guide: Seychelles Lynnath Beckleya and Lyn Mair
The History of Slavery in Mauritius and the Seychelles, 1810-1875 Moses D. E., Nwulia
Insight Guide: Mauritius, Réunion and Seychelles Emily Hatchwell
Insight Pocket Guide: Seychelles Judith Skerrett
Lonely Planet World Guide: Mauritius, Réunion and Seychelles Jan Dodd, Madeleine Philippe
Political Castaways Christopher Lee
The Seychelles Michael Friedel
Seychelles Vincenzo Paolillo
Seychelles: Garden of Eden in the Indian Ocean Sarah Carpin
Seychelles: The New Era France René
Seychelles Since 1770: History of a Slave and Post-Slavery Society Deryck Scarr
'Rivals in Eden' and 'Hard Times in Paradise' Bill McAteer

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[edit] References

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[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Seychelles

Look up Seychelles in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Government

Virtual Seychelles official portal of the Republic of Seychelles
The Seychelles Nation, a government-supported newspaper
Seychelles Broadcasting Company, the government-operated media company (Radio & TV)
[1] Official Ministry of Health and Social Services for the Republic of Seychelles
Seychelles Tourism Board The official site of the Seychelles Tourism Board
Seychelles E-Government Portal