Seychelles is an island nation in Africa, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Kenya and northeast of Madagascar. The country comprises of about 115 islands, with lush tropical vegetation, beautiful beaches, and a wide variety of marine life. The capital, Victoria, is situated on the island of Mahé. Seychelles is the smallest African country in terms of both area and population.
More than four-fifths of the population lives on Mahé, many in the capital city, Victoria. The birth and death rates, as well as the annual population growth rate, are below the global average. Some one-fifth of the population is younger than age 15, and an additional one-sixth is under age 30. Life expectancy for both men and women are significantly higher than the global average. The Seychelles flag is made up of blue, yellow, red, white and green rays spreading from the bottom left corner. Blue represents the sky and sea, yellow the sun, red the people and their work, white social justice and harmony, and green the land and natural environment.
Seychelles is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Indian Ocean Commission, La Francophonie, the Southern African Development Community and the Commonwealth of Nations. The country is divided into twenty-six administrative regions comprising all of the inner islands. Eight of the districts make up the capital of Seychelles and are referred to as Greater Victoria. Another 14 districts are considered the rural part of the main island of Mahé. Two more districts divide the island of Praslin, and one covers La Digue as well as satellite and other Inner Islands. The rest of the Outer Islands (Îles Eloignées) make up the last district recently created by the tourism ministry.
The original French colonists on the previously uninhabited islands, along with their black slaves, were joined in the 19th century by deportees from France. Asians from China, India, and Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia) arrived later in smaller numbers. Widespread intermarriage has resulted in a population of mixed descent. Creole, also called Seselwa, is the mother tongue of most Seychellois. Under the constitution, Creole, English, and French are recognized as national languages.
Seychelles is named after Jean Moreau de Sechelles who was the French finance minister in 1756. It was named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas Morphey. Seychelles was controlled by France (annexed in 1756) until the colony was ceded to Britain in 1814. In 1976, Seychelles become independent with James Mancham as president and France Rene as prime minister as its first leaders. After an ominous, post-independence start which included a coup, an invasion by mercenaries, an abortive army mutiny and several coup attempts, the Seychelles have attained stability and prosperity. Today the Indian Ocean archipelago enjoys a high per capita income, good health care and education.
Seychelles has a mixed developing economy. The former British colony’s economy depends heavily on the fishing industry and upmarket tourism. Despite continued visible trade deficits, the economy has experienced steady growth. The gross domestic product (GDP) is growing more rapidly than the population. The gross national income (GNI) per capita is significantly higher than those found in most nearby continental African countries.
Seychelles also is home to an array of wildlife, including giant tortoises and sea turtles. Much of the land is protected as part of nature reserves. In 2020, the island nation set aside 30 per cent of its marine territory, or about 410,000 square kilometres, to be legally protected from activities that damage the marine environment. Located on Praslin Island, the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai is an area of palm forest which remains largely unchanged since prehistoric times.
Over three-fourths of the population are Roman Catholics. There are also Anglicans, Christians of other denominations, Hindus, and Muslims. Consisting 1.1% of the total population are Muslims in Seychelles. Islam here was brought in by Muslim Sea merchants even before the discovery of the tropical island nation. However, due to the lack of permanent inhabitants, the toll of the French took over, and today the number of Muslims in the island nation has dropped to roughly 900 people.
Additionally, in comparison to its neighbours such as Maldives and Zanzibar, which have a much more considerable Muslim influence, Seychelles lags behind. As the Government says that it keeps its citizens happy regardless of the difference of religion in Seychelles, it allows religious broadcasting for 15 minutes every Monday and Friday for its Muslim inhabitants.
