I.

Introduction

Seychelles, republic, consisting of an archipelago of some 90 islands, scattered across the western Indian Ocean, north-east of the island of Madagascar, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The archipelago’s total area is 454 sq km (175 sq mi). The capital of Seychelles is Victoria.

II.

Land and Resources

Seychelles consists of two distinct island groups: the Mahé group in the north and the low-lying coral islands stretching to the south. The 40 islands of the Mahé group are formed of granitic rocks and have hilly interiors rising as high as 900 m (2,952 ft). All the country’s principal islands belong to this group; they include Mahé Island (the largest), Praslin, Silhouette, and La Digue. The 50 or so coral islands are largely without water resources, and most are uninhabited. Tourism is the main industry in the Seychelles, and nearly the entire country has been designated as protected land. There is some pressure on wildlife habitat, causing some species to be threatened, although a number of wildlife parks have now been established, including marine parks for the preservation of giant tortoises and green sea turtles.

III.

Population

The Seychelles has a population of about 82,247 (2008 estimate). About 90 per cent lives on Mahé. The capital, principal city, and leading port is Victoria (population, 2003 estimate, 25,000), on Mahé. Most people are of mixed French and African descent; Indian and Chinese minorities are also present.

A.

Religion

About 88 per cent of the population is Roman Catholic.

B.

Language

English and French are the official languages, mainly known as second languages by the indigenous inhabitants. However, since 1981, when the standard form of the language was officially recognized and established, Seychellois Creole has got close to official status. Its use is promoted in primary schools, in the media, and in some governmental domains. Although not quite everyone speaks this standard dialect, Seychellois Creole is spoken by at least 95 per cent of the population. (See also Pidgins and Creoles.)

C.

Education

Adult literacy was 85 per cent in 1991. In 2002–2003 5.7 per cent of the country’s gross national product (GNP) was spent on education.

IV.

Economy

Seychelles had a GNP (World Bank estimate) of about US$685 million in 2004, equivalent to about US$8,870 per capita. Tourism, agriculture, and fishing are the main economic activities. After the completion of the international airport at Victoria in 1971, tourism expanded rapidly, accounting for more than 70 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings and 12 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1995. However, this vital industry has been affected by occasional political instability, and efforts are being made to expand fishing, farming, and manufacturing. In 2006 the annual budget included US$406.6 million in current and capital expenditures; revenues were US$443.2 million.

A.

Currency and Banking

The monetary unit of the Seychelles is the Seychelles rupee (8.05 rupees equalled US$1; early 2008).

B.

Commerce and Trade

Trade is dominated by the import and re-sale—mainly to foreign fishing fleets—of petroleum; other exports include fish, copra, and cinnamon. Various fruits are grown for domestic consumption, but rice, the staple food, is imported. Guano is the only exported mineral product.

C.

Transport

There are no railways on the Seychelles; there are 458 km (285 mi) of roads, 96 per cent of which are paved. In 1997 there were 93 passenger cars for every 1,000 people. There are two airports.

D.

Communications

The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation is based in Mahé and provides radio and television services in French, English, and Creole. The country’s major newspaper is the Seychelles Nation.

V.

Government

Under the 1993 constitution executive power is held by a president, who is popularly elected to a five-year term. The president appoints a council of ministers to act as an advisory body. Legislative power is vested in the People’s Assembly, which has 34 members, 25 elected in single-seat constituencies, and 9 elected by proportional representation. The Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF) was the sole political organization from 1977 until 1991, when opposition parties were legalized. The SPPF maintained its political dominance in July 1993 by winning the multi-party elections with a landslide victory, and again in 1998 when it gained 30 out of 34 seats. In 2002 the opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP) made inroads by taking 11 seats, a feat which it repeated in 2007. Seychelles is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.

In 2004 there were 661 people per doctor and the infant mortality rate was 14 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 1990 around 6 per cent of the country’s GDP was spent on health care.

VI.

History

Possibly known to the Arabs as early as the 9th century ad, the Seychelles were visited by the Portuguese in 1502. In 1756 France claimed the islands, which were then uninhabited, and French settlers and their slaves took up residence from 1770 onwards. In 1814 Great Britain annexed the Seychelles. The islands were administered from Mauritius during most of the 1800s; and in 1903 they were made a separate British colony.

The 1960s saw the formation of local political parties, chief of which were the centre-right Seychelles Democratic Party led by James Mancham and the socialist Seychelles People’s United Party headed by Albert René. Their agitation resulted in a new constitution in 1967, and three years later a ministerial form of government was established. By 1974 both major parties were united in calling for independence, although otherwise bitterly antagonistic.

A.

Independence

Independence was achieved on June 29, 1976, under a coalition government, with Mancham as the president and René as the prime minister. A year later, while Mancham was abroad, René’s supporters staged a coup and assumed full powers. In 1978 René declared the country a one-party state, and a new constitution to that effect was proclaimed in 1979. An attempt by South African-based mercenaries to restore Mancham to power was thwarted with Tanzanian help in 1981, and an army mutiny was similarly put down in 1982.

Several more coup attempts were suppressed in the late 1980s. In the early 1990s, Seychelles came under increasing pressure from aid donors to return to a democratic system. Multi-party elections were held in 1993 and 1998, with René emerging as the victor on both occasions.

In the midst of economic difficulties, René called for an early presidential election in September 2001 and won another term of office by gaining 54 per cent of votes cast. His major challenger, Wavel Ramkalawan, won 45 per cent of the votes but claimed that the voting was fraudulent. In elections to the People’s Assembly in December 2002, the ruling SPPF won 23 seats (the party’s poorest ever showing) against 11 gained by the opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP). In April 2004 René stepped down as president and was replaced by the vice-president James Michel. The country escaped lightly from the devastating tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean region in December 2004, with a single reported death from drowning. Michel won the presidential election in July 2006, securing more than 54 per cent of the vote, and then saw the SPPF win the elections held in May 2007.