GEOGRAPHY :

Capital : Victoria
Number of inhabitants : 78 700
Most important islands : Mahé, Praslin, La Digue
Seychelles lies in the western part of the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar and 1593 km east of Mombassa, Kenya. Seychelles is an archipelago, which consists of 115 islands, of which 76 are coralline, and the remaining are granitic. Seychelles is situated in a zone free from cyclones. The climate is tropical and generally warm and humid.
Most islands are covered in luxuriant and verdant vegetation. White sandy beaches surrounding the islands are natural features of the Seychelles archipelago. The most common trees are the coconut palm and casuarina. Others include banyans, screw pines and tortoise trees and the giant coco de mer palm, which is unique to the Seychelles and lives for up to 1000 years. Fruit bats, the giant tortoise, flying foxes, geckos and skins are common and there are more than 3000 spieces of insect. There are also many species of rare bird, such as Seychelles kestrel, black parrot, paradise flycatcher, magpie robin...

THE HISTORY :

Althought the French were the first to start settlement on these uninhabited islands, the Arab traders were probably the first to have spotted them. Later on during the 16th century the islands were frequented and some were even named by the Portuguese. In 1742 the french took possession of Seychelles and they ruled for 40 years.
In that time, Seychelles was being used as a transit point for slaves from Africa, India, Madagascar and other countries. From 1794 and for the next thirteen years which followed, the islands changed hands seven times between the French and the British. In 1811 after a series of sea battles Seychelles was occupied by the British. In 1814 the Treaty of Paris rendered both Seychelles and Mauritius formally British. But a year later, Seychelles became under the dependance of Mauritius.
Two important events : abolishement of slavery and establishement of the Roman catholic church in 1853. In 1976 - the birth of the first republic, Seychelles got its independence and stayed with the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Nowdays, it is the third republic ruled by the president France Albert René, elected for five years. It has a National Assembly of 34 members. Seychelles has a multi - party system.

THE PEOPLE :

Seychelles is a multi - racial nation yet completely integrated.

A mixture of European, Asian and Africans, the Seychelles are descendants of the first French settlers, African slaves, British sailors and traders. There are small minorities of Chinese an Indians. National languages of the country are English, French and Creole since 1981. Seychelles enjoys a relatively high standard of living and is ranked as an upper middle income developing country.

THE CULTURE :

Art :

For a small country, there are several very well kown painters residing there. Perhaps the best of these is Michael Adams who catches the spirit of the islands, its animals, people, vegetation and crisp white buildings. Other artists are Leon Radegonde, Gérard Devoud and Marc Duc.

Museums :

In Victoria you´ ll find the National Museum on Independence Avenue, the History Museum on State House Avenue and both the National Library and National Archives are on Francis Rachel Street. The National Museum exhibits local cultural and natural history with artifacts including ship wreckage, coral, voodoo implements, stuffed tortoises, old musical instruments and household objects and various possessions of the pirates who once roamed the waters.

Festivals :

October - Creole festival - is the biggest festival of the year. Artists from all over the region gather to display their works, play Creole music, dance, perform plays and generally celebrate their heritage.
November - SUBIOS - a festival to celebrate Seychelles´ underwater world and attracts worldwide recognized underwater experts in photography, film making and conservation.

MAHÉ :

At 59 square miles Mahé is, by far, the largest island and it is home to the capital, Victoria, the international air port, the fishing and commercial ports, most of the population and many resorts and hotels, plus four casinos. Its powdery white, idyllic beaches, lush vegetation, plantations of coconut palms and cinnamon rise to forested peaks with unequalled views of the neighboring islands. Surrounded by coral reefs the clear, calm waters invite relaxation and many water sports. Althought, it is the nation´s economic hub, it has retained all of its natural beauty and charm. You can visit the 100 year old Botanical Gardens, the capital with its famous clock tower, the National Museum or Morne Seychellois National Park. You can find out why the Seychellois are called "the friendliest people on earth". With its incredible amount of daytime activities and lively nightlife, Mahé can truly offer something for everyone.

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