Seychelles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles, is a 155-island country (as per the Constitution) spanning an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, whose capital, Victoria, lies some 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) east of mainland Southeast Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar.
Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga and Réunion to the south, and Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest.
Seychelles, with a population of 90,024, has the smallest population of any African state.
It has the highest Human Development Index in Africa and the highest income inequality in the world, as measured by the Gini index. Seychelles is a member of the African Union.
History
Some scholars assume that Austronesian seafarers and later Maldivian and Arab traders were the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles.
Remains of Maldivian mariner presence from the 12th century were found in Silhouette Island.
The earliest recorded sighting by Europeans 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 earliest recorded landing was in January 1609, by the crew of the "Ascension" under Captain Sharpeigh during the fourth voyage of the English East India Company.
A transit point for trade between Africa and Asia, the islands were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid by Captain Nicholas Morphey.
The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV's Minister of Finance.
The British contested control over the islands between 1794 and 1810.
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.
Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1810, formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris.
Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903.
Elections were held in 1966 and 1970.
Independence was granted in 1976 as a republic within the Commonwealth.
In 1977, a coup d'état ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham, who was replaced by France Albert René.
The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991.
The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60% of voters in 1992, but an amended version was approved in 1993.
In January 2013, the country declared a state of emergency; the tropical cyclone Felleng caused torrential rain, and flooding and landslides destroyed hundreds of houses.
Republic of Seychelles / République des Seychelles
Motto: "Finis Coronat Opus" (Latin)
"The End Crowns the Work"
Anthem: Koste Seselwa / Join together all Seychellois
Capital and largest city: Victoria (4°37′S 55°27′E)
Official languages:
• French
• English
• Seychellois Creole
Vernacular languages: Seychellois Creole
Ethnic groups (2000):
• 93.2% Seychellois Creole
• 3.0% British
• 1.8% French
• 0.5% Chinese
• 0.3% Indian
• 1.2% others
Demonym: Seychellois, Seychelloise, Seselwa (Creole)
Government:
Unitary representative presidential republic
President:
Vice-President:
Legislature: National Assembly
Independence: from the United Kingdom:
29 June 1976
Area:
• Total: 459 km2 (197th) - 177 sq mi
• Water (%): negligible
Population:
2012 estimate 90,024 (195th) - 2009 census 84,000
Density: 186.2/km2 (60th) - 482.7/sq mi
GDP (PPP): 2012 estimate
• Total: $2.317 billion
• Per capita: $25,229
Currency: Seychellois rupee (SCR)
Time zone:
SCT (UTC+4) - Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+4)
Drives on the left
Calling code: +248
ISO 3166 code: SC
Internet TLD: .sc