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°37′S, 55°27′E
Official languages		English, French, Seychellois Creole
Demonym		Seychellois
Government		Republic
-	President	James Michel
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Date	29 June 1976
Area
-	Total	451 km² (197th) 176 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2005 estimate	80,699 (205th)
-	Density	178/km² (60th) 458/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$1404 million (165th)
-	Per capita	$17829 (IMF) (39th)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The flag of the Seychelles was adopted on June 18, 1996. The oblique bands symbolise a dynamic new country moving into the future The coat of arms of the Republic of Seychelles shows a shield in which a Turtle is located on green grounds A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Koste Seselwa ( Join together all Seychellois) is the National anthem of Seychelles. About 90% of the Seychellois people live on the island of Mahé. Victoria (sometimes called Port Victoria) is the Capital city of the Republic of Seychelles and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Seychellois Creole, also known as Kreol or Seselwa, is the French-based creole language of the Seychelles. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its This page contains a list of presidents of Seychelles. See also Lists of incumbents. Colonel (ret James Alix Michel (born August 18, 1944) has been the president of the Seychelles since April 16, 2004. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 843 (high) (50th)
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 IPA: [seʃɛl] in French), officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an archipelago nation of 155 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The rupee is the currency of the Seychelles. It is subdivided into 100 cents. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Seychelles Time, or SCT, is a Time zone used by in the Indian Ocean island nation of the Seychelles. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Seychellois Creole, also known as Kreol or Seselwa, is the French-based creole language of the Seychelles. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern 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. Zanzibar ( is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. It consists of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ The United Suvadive Republic (Dhivehi އެކުވެރި ސުވައިދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ or Suvadive Islands was a short-lived breakaway nation in the remote The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching Seychelles has the smallest population of any sovereign state of Africa.

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 3 Administrative divisions 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Flora and fauna 9 Media and telecommunications 10 See also 11 Further reading 12 References 13 External links

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 1502, by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama, who passed through the Amirantes and named them after himself (islands of the Admiral). The recorded history of Seychelles dates back to the 17th century The Austronesian people or Austronesian-speaking people, are a population group present in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Dom Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira ('vaʃku dɐ 'gɐmɐ ( Sines or Vidigueira, Alentejo, Portugal, ca The Amirante Islands ( Les Amirantes) a group of coral islands and Atolls belong to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The first recorded landing and first written account was by the crew of the English East Indiaman Ascension in 1609. 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 when a Stone of Possession was laid by Captain Nicholas Morphey. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Year 1756 ( MDCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV’s Minister of Finance. Jean Moreau de Séchelles (May 10 1690 - December 31 1761 was a French official and politician ^[1]

The British contested control over the islands with the French between 1794 and 1812. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Year 1794 ( MDCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Jean Baptiste Quéau de Quincy, French administrator of Seychelles during the years of war with the United Kingdom, declined to resist when armed enemy warships arrived. Instead, he successfully negotiated the status of capitulation to Britain, which gave the settlers a privileged position of neutrality. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1812 and this was formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 May 1814 ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition. The Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903 and independence was granted in 1976, as a republic within the Commonwealth. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its In 1977, a coup d'état ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham, replacing him with France Albert René. Sir James Richard Marie Mancham KBE (born August 11 1939, Victoria) was the first President of Seychelles from 1976 to 1977 France-Albert René (born November 16, 1935) was the long-time socialist President of Seychelles from 1977 to 2004 The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60 percent of voters in 1992, but in 1993 an amended version was approved. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity

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. Victoria (sometimes called Port Victoria) is the Capital city of the Republic of Seychelles and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé Politics of Seychelles takes place in a framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of Seychelles is both Head of state and President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The previous president, France Albert René, first came to power in a coup d'état in 1977, one year after independence. France-Albert René (born November 16, 1935) was the long-time socialist President of Seychelles from 1977 to 2004 He was democratically elected after the constitutional reforms of 1992. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) He stood down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel, who was re-elected in 2006. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Colonel (ret James Alix Michel (born August 18, 1944) has been the president of the Seychelles since April 16, 2004. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch.

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. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those The Unicameral National Assembly of Seychelles is the country's legislative body All members serve five-year terms.

Politics is a topic of hot debate in the country - The main rival parties are the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF) and the Seychelles National Party (SNP). Since the inception of politics in the early sixties, politics has been an integral part of the Seychellois lives. The range of opinion spans socialist and liberal democrat ideology.

The Seychelles are part of the Indian Ocean Commission(IOC), SADEC and Commonwealth organisation. The Indian Ocean Commission ( COI) known as the Commission de l'Océan Indien in French, is an intergovernmental organization that joins Comoros

Administrative divisions

Main article: Districts of Seychelles

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

Anse aux Pins Anse Boileau Anse Etoile Anse Royale Au Cap Baie Lazare Baie Sainte Anne

Beau Vallon Bel Air Bel Ombre Cascade Glacis Grand' Anse (Mahe) Grand' Anse (Praslin)

La Digue English River Les Mamelles Mont Buxton Mont Fleuri Plaisance Pointe La Rue

Port Glaud Roche Caiman Saint Louis Takamaka

Geography

Main article: Geography of Seychelles

An island nation, the Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) east of Kenya. Anse aux Pins is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Anse Boileau is a quiet district on the south of the island of Mahé, in the Seychelles. Anse Etoile is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Anse Royale is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Au Cap is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Baie Lazare is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Baie Sainte Anne is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Praslin. Bel Air is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Bel Ombre may refer to Bel Ombre (Seychelles Bel Ombre (Mauritius Cascade is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Glacis is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Grand' Anse Mahe is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Grand' Anse Praslin is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Praslin. La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. There are several English Rivers in the United States and Canada. Les Mamelles is an administrative district of Seychelles, near to Mahe. Mont Buxton is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Mont Fleuri is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Plaisance is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Pointe La Rue is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Port Glaud Seychellesjpg|thumb|left|300px|A locality in the Port Glaud district - early 1970s]] Port Glaud is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the Roche Caiman is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Saint Louis is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. Takamaka is one of the 22 administrative regions of Mahé, Republic of Seychelles. The Seychelles is a small Island nation located in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and about 1600 km (1000 Miles east of An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155. The islands as per the Constitution are divided into various groups as follows.

There are 42 granitic islands, in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. The Granitic Seychelles are the islands in the Seychelles which lie in central position on the Seychelles Bank and are composed of Granite rock Mahé is the largest Island (155 km² of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation For the town in France see Praslin Aube; for the town in Saint Lucia, see Praslin Saint Lucia. Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur,Thérèse, Aride, Conception,Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Ile aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Ile Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé),Chauve Souris (Praslin), Ile La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin),Zavé, Harrison Rocks (Grand Rocher).

There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics: Denis, Bird.

There are two coral islands south of the granitics: Coëtivy, Platte.

There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitics: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising 3 islands : Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands: St. Joseph Ile aux Fouquets, Ressource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Ile Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Ile aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (comprising 2 islands: African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. François, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier.

There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-south west of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands: Bancs de Sable Déposés Ile aux Goëlettes Lapins Ile du Milieu North Manaha South Manaha Middle Manaha North Island and South Island), Providence Atoll (comprising two islands: Providence and Bancs Providence) and St Pierre.

There are 67 raised coral islands in the Aldabra Group, west of the Farquhar Group: Aldabra Atoll (comprising 46 islands: Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Ile Michel, Ile Esprit, Ile aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Ile Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Cèdres, Iles Chalands, Ile Fangame, Ile Héron, Ile Michel, Ile Squacco, Ile Sylvestre, Ile Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock and Table Ronde), Assumption, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands: Menai, Ile du Nord (West North), Ile Nord-Est (East North), Ile du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Ile (Wizard), Pagode, Ile du Sud-Ouest (South), Ile aux Moustiques, Ile Baleine, Ile aux Chauve-Souris, Ile aux Macaques, Ile aux Rats, Ile du Nord-Ouest, Ile Observation, Ile Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix).

Economy

Main article: Economy of Seychelles

Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Since Seychelles ' independence in 1976, Per capita output in this Indian Ocean Archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near- Subsistence Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 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. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Tuna, are several Species of ocean-dwelling Fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. These incentives have given rise to an enormous amount of investment in real estate projects and new (mostly 5 star) resort properties. Hilton, Four Seasons and Banyan Tree are all new entrants to Seychelles. Development projects projected in the hundreds of millions of dollars each are in the beginning stages for Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Raffles, Shangri-La, etc. Other private developments such as Ile Aurore, Per Aquam and Eden Island are projected at over $2 billion.

At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, small-scale manufacturing and most recently the offshore sector. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale 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 United States. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) 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. A budget deficit occurs when an Entity (often a Government) spends more Money than it takes in "Social welfare" redirects here For other uses see Welfare A social welfare provision refers to any program which seeks to provide Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, insurance (has now been privatized), banking (is being privatized very soon), imports of basic products (now being privatized), telecommunications (4 private ISP/telecom companies), and a wide range of other businesses. Beginning at the turn of the millennium the Seychelles Petroleum Company (SEPEC) started to develop the first fleet of modern Petroleum double-hull tankers (five vessels), which was completed by late 2007/early 2008 with the possibility to build more in the near future. The Seychelles President claims that this has opened the door to a new industry for his country and encourage economic growth by further removing over-reliance on traditional trades like fisheries and tourism which is now falling rapidly as the country's main income but nevertheless, has experienced significant growth in recent years.

Growth slowed in 1998–2001, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. 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 anywhere from two thirds to one half the official exchange rate. The rupee is the currency of the Seychelles. It is subdivided into 100 cents. The next few years were also a bit slow due to the worldwide economic downturn and the fear of flying brought on by September 11, 2001. More recently though, tourism has roared back at a record pace setting successive records in 2006 and again in 2007 for number of visitors. The increased availability of flights to and from the archipelego due in part to new entrants Emirates and Qatar airlines is also beginning to show. New 5 star properties and the devaluation of the currency by nearly 33% by the Seychelles Government is having a positive influence on the tourism sector as well.

Both at official exchange rates and at purchasing power parity (PPP), Seychelles remains the second-richest territory in Africa in terms of GDP per capita (US$8,551 at real exchange rates and US$13,887 at PPP as of 2005),^[2] behind Réunion (US$19,233 at real exchange rates). The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of ^[3]. Although, in real terms it can be considered the richest independent African/Indian Ocean country as Reunion is a French dependent territory which is part of the EU and uses the Euro currency. Because of economic contraction (the economy declined by about 2% in 2004 and 2005 and lost another 1. 4% in 2006 according to the IMF) the country was moving downwards in terms of per capita income; however, the economy came roaring back in 2007 growing by 5. 3% due in part to the record tourism numbers, but also the booming building and offshore industries which also continue to set records.

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. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e 8% of GDP. Approximately two thirds of this debt is owed domestically, with the balance due to multi laterals, bi laterals, and commercial banks. A commercial bank is a type of Financial intermediary and a type of Bank. Current external debt is estimated at 35. 5% according to the IMF (2007). 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.

New detailed studies and exploration shows that the Seychelles potentially have large off-shore petroleum reservoirs which is yet to be discovered. Drills have proven the presence of:

1. Oil-prone Source Rocks containing Type II kerogen in coaly deltaic shales of the Middle Jurassic and in marine shales of the Upper Jurassic;

2. Mixed source rocks bearing Type II/III kerogen in deltaic marine shales of the Lower Cretaceous that are II correlative of oil-generating shales in Somalia;

3. Gas-prone sources containing Type I kerogen in Upper Triassic fluvial shales and Paleocene marine shales, the latter being correlative of oil and gas generating source rocks of the Deep Continental Shelf trend of the Bombay High Oil Province offshore west India;

4. Evidence of hydrocarbon generation and migration with well shows, such as 0. 7 ml benzene in DST-1 of Reith Bank-1, 10,010 ppm of 99. 8% n-C4 headspace gas coincident with as small fault in the same well and 20% petrol vapours at an immature level of volcanics in Owen Bank A-1;

5. Clastic reservoirs with measured porosities up to 22% in the Early-Middle Jurassic; and

6. Sealing lithologies both locally in syn-rift, and regionally in post-rift sequences. 

An extensive seismic dataset, plus a variety of remote sensing data have been collected which bolster the well data by confirming the presence of:


7. A variety of trapping styles, dominated by tilted fault blocks, stratigraphic pinchouts and reefs;

8. Multiple heating events, with the principal event post-dating trap formation; and

9. Hydrocarbon generation and migration with the presence of:
a) numerous DHIs on seismic, including gas chimneys, flat spots, bright spots, phase changes and chemosynthetic reefs;
b) gas sniffer anomalies, involving ethane/iso-butane in the southeast and propane/normal butane/total hydrocarbon in the north and northeast;
c) UV fluorescence anomalies, especially over the wells and in the southeast; and
d) 4 types of beach-stranded tar that correlate to the local source rock stratigraphy.

However, to date all exploratory and stratigraphic test wells (a total of 9 since the 1970s) in the Seychelles have failed to find commercial hydrocarbons. The most recent wildcat by Enterprise Oil in 1995 detected gas but failed to find hydrocarbons

In addition to the now booming tourism and building/real estate markets, Seychelles has renewed its commitment to developing its financial services sector. Government officials and industry participants believe this could overtake the tourism industry as the chief pillar of the economy by 2017. Indeed, the popularity of Seychelles in the offshore world is growing immensely with the sector setting records each of the last 4 years in a row. The recent passage of a revised Mutual Fund Act 2007, Securities Act 2007 and Insurance Act 2007 are meant to be the catalysts to move Seychelles from just another offshore jurisdiction to a full fledged Offshore Financial Center (OFC).

The Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA) is charged with overseeing the quickly growing offshore industry. Seychelles is home to a number of offshore incorporation specialists including firms like Sterling Offshore Ltd. , a Seychelles based firm of legal and business consultants specialising in offshore company formation, mutual funds, hedge funds and captive insurance.

Seychelles is the smallest nation in the world issuing its own currency (i. e. , not pegged to a foreign currency and not shared with any other country). A fixed exchange rate, sometimes called a pegged exchange rate, is a type of Exchange rate regime wherein a Currency 's value is matched to the value of

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Seychelles

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

As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The largest ethnic groups are those of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is primarily based upon French. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Seychellois Creole, also known as Kreol or Seselwa, is the French-based creole language of the Seychelles. Most Seychellois are Christians; the Roman Catholic Church is the main denomination. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings

Culture

See also: Religion in Seychelles, Women in Seychelles, and Music of Seychelles

Seychellois society is essentially matriarchal. The 2002 government census estimated that 82 percent of the population of Seychelles is Roman Catholic and 6 percent is Anglican The Seychelles, which is an independent island chain in the Indian Ocean, formerly a colony of both Britain and France has a distinct kind of Matriarchy is a term which is applied to gynocentric form of Society, in which the leading role is by the Female and especially by the Mothers ^[4][5] Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most current expenditures and looking after the interests of the children. ^[4] Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children. A single parent (also lone parent and sole parent) is a Parent who cares for one or more children without the assistance of another parent in the home In family law and government policy child support or child maintenance is the ongoing obligation for a periodic payment made directly or indirectly by a non-custodial parent ^[5] Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral. ^[4] Older women can usually count on financial support from family members living at home or contributions from the earnings of grown children. The state however, provides one of the best pension schemes in the developing world, which can rival many advanced nations and the country provides an unconditional social care for its most vulnerables (i. e. orphans, ageing and disabled population)^[4]

The music of Seychelles is diverse. The Seychelles, which is an independent island chain in the Indian Ocean, formerly a colony of both Britain and France has a distinct kind of The folk music of the islands 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. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Contra dance (also contradance, contra-dance and other variant spellings refers to several Folk dance styles in which couples dance in two facing lines The polka is a fast lively Central European Dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas The mazurka is a stylized Polish Folk dance in Triple meter with a lively tempo that has a heavy accent on the third or second beat Sega music is an evolved combination of traditional Music of Mauritian, Seychellois and Réunionnais music with European Dance music like Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Taarab is a Music genre popular in Tanzania. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa, including music from Soukous (also known as Lingala or Congo, and previously as African rumba) is a Musical genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Arcadia or Arkadía ( Greek Αρκαδία is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. A complex form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga developed by Patrick Victor. Montea, also known as Moutya, is a fart traditional Dance similar to the Sega, but with often more pronounced suggestive movements The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south

As of 1992, some ninety percent of the population was Roman Catholic and approximately seven percent Anglican. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Other religions have been introduced with Islam being one of the fastest growing. Traditionally, despite a greater connection with Great Britain ( i. e. in Education, which follows the GCSE and 'A' (advanced) Level curriculum and have a branch of The University of Manchester as one of its highest Educational Institutions and on many aspects of the Law) a British 'Sunday telegraph' travel journalist and many other notable foreign observers has stated that "the culture remains emphatically French" and about 70% of the population have a French sounding Family name, compared with only about 20% English sounding family names, the two are often mixed with the First name, such that you get an English first name and a French family name or vice-versa e. g. Jean-pierre Kingsmith. Most people are of mixed origins often of White Europeans with Black Africans, where the whites are mainly French and the Blacks are mainly East Africans.

Flora and fauna

Main article: Flora and fauna of Seychelles

In common with many fragile island ecosysytems, the early human history of Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity including 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. Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands The Seychelles Parakeet (Psittacula wardi occurred in the Indian ocean islands of the Seychelles group The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable However, extinctions were far fewer than on other islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation (since 1770). Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna.

The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species, with a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the Coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. " Sea coconut " redirects here Sea coconut may also refer to the fruit of the Asian palmyra palm The coco de mer ( Lodoicea maldivica For the town in France see Praslin Aube; for the town in Saint Lucia, see Praslin Saint Lucia. Curieuse Island is a small granitic Island (178 sq mi in the Seychelles off the north coast of Praslin. 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. The jellyfish tree ( Medusagyne oppositifolia) the only species of the family Medusagynaceae, is a critically endangered and unusual tree indigenous 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. The Seychelles giant tortoise ( Dipsochelys hololissa) has been thought to be extinct since the mid-19th century due to over-exploitation on the granitic Seychelles Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands Aldabra is a raised Coral Atoll in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. It has been reported that the granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises, the status of the different populations is currently unclear. The Seychelles giant tortoise ( Dipsochelys hololissa) has been thought to be extinct since the mid-19th century due to over-exploitation on the granitic Seychelles

Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Islands such as Bird, Aride Island, Cousin, Aldabra and Cosmoledo host many species of seabirds including the sooty tern, fairy tern, white-tailed tropicbird, noddies and frigatebirds. Aride Island is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles and is 10km north of Praslin. Aldabra is a raised Coral Atoll in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. Cosmoledo is an Atoll of the Aldabra Group and belongs to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (formerly Sterna fuscata) is a Seabird of the Tern family (Sternidae Noddies are members of the Tern family Sternidae in the genera Anous, Procelsterna, and Gygis. The frigatebirds are a family Fregatidae, of Seabirds There are five Species in the single Genus Fregata. Aride Island has more species of seabird and greater numbers than the other 40 granite islands combined including the world's largest colony of Audubon's Shearwater and Lesser Noddy. Aride Island is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles and is 10km north of Praslin.

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. A speargun is a Gun designed to fire a Spear, usually underwater to catch fish Dynamite is an explosive based on the explosive potential of Nitroglycerin, initially using Diatomaceous earth (kieselgur US Spelling kieselguhr Coral bleaching in 1998 has unfortunately damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (e. Coral bleaching is the loss of color of Corals due to stress-induced expulsion of symbiotic Unicellular Algae or due to the loss of pigmentation within g. Silhouette Island. Silhouette Island lies 20 km northwest of Mahé in the Seychelles. The reefs comprise 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 protected islands, most notably Cousin Island, Aride Island, Silhouette Island and Aldabra. Cousin Island is a small (27 ha granitic island of the Seychelles, lying 4 km SSW of Praslin. Aride Island is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles and is 10km north of Praslin. Silhouette Island lies 20 km northwest of Mahé in the Seychelles. Aldabra is a raised Coral Atoll in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. However, they continue to decline at unprotected sites. The use of gill nets for shark fishing as well as the practice of shark finning are now banned.

Media and telecommunications

Main article: Media and telecommunications in Seychelles

See also

Further reading

• Aldabra Adrian Skerrett (Editor)
• Berlitz Pocket Guide Adrian & Judith Skerrett
• [1]Birds of the Seychelles Adrian Skerrett, Ian Bullock, 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 & Adrian Skerrett
• Journey through Seychelles Mohamed Amin, Duncan Willets, Adrian Skerrett, 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
• Paradise Raped James R. Mancham
• Seychelles: The New Era France Albert René
• Seychelles, What Next? Alain St. Ange
• Seychelles Since 1770: History of a Slave and Post-Slavery Society Deryck Scarr
• Seychelles, In Search of Democracy Alain St. Ange & Bernard Georges
• 'Rivals in Eden' and 'Hard Times in Paradise' Bill McAteer
• Seychelles, The Cry of A People Alain St. Ange

References

External links

Government

• Virtual Seychelles - Primary government of Seychelles portal.
• Seychelles citizens information portal
• Ministry of Health and Social Services of Seychelles
• seychelles.travel The official site of the Seychelles Tourism Board.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles
• Seychelles International Business Authority
• Seychelles Investment Bureau
• Central Bank of Seychelles

News

• The Seychelles Nation - a government-supported daily newspaper.
• Seychelles Broadcasting Company - the government-operated Radio & TV station.
• The Regar - opposition newspaper, extensive investigative journalism and expose's.
• Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly
• The People - weekly newspaper.
• Seychelles Review - weekly newspaper.
• SeyNews A user powered Seychelles community and news site.

Tourism

• Cousine Island - Seychelles Turtle Conservation Projects
• Island Conservation Society
• Seychelles Nature A non-profit nature protection society.
• Seychelles SeyBay A non-profit website for Seychellois and Tourists.
• Videos about history and nature of Seychelles with aerial shots
• Seychelles SEZ - Information.
• Seychelles travel guide from Wikitravel

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