seychelles

{{Main|History of Seychelles}}

File:Gama_armada_of_1502_(Livro_de_Lisuarte_de_Abreu).jpg, led by Vasco da Gama.]]

Seychelles was uninhabited until the 18th century when Europeans arrived with Indians, and enslaved Africans. It remained a British colony from 1814 until its independence in 1976. Seychelles has never been inhabited by indigenous people, but its islanders maintain their own Creole heritage.

Seychelles was uninhabited throughout most of recorded history, although simulations of Austronesian migration patterns indicate a good probability that they visited the islands.{{cite book |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Scott M. |last2=Callaghan |first2=Richard |chapter=Seafaring simulations and the Origin of Prehistoric Settlers to Madagascar |page=52 |title=Islands of Inquiry: Colonisation, Seafaring and the Archaeology of Maritime Landscapes |editor1-last=O'Connor |editor1-first=Sue |editor2-last=Clark |editor2-first=Geoffrey |editor3-last=Leach |editor3-first=Foss |series=Terra Australis |issue=29 |publisher=ANU E Press |location=Canberra, ACT, Australia |url=https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/33708/1/459300.pdf |date=2008 |isbn=9781921313905}} Tombs visible until 1910 at Anse Lascars on Silhouette Island have also been conjectured to belong to later Maldivian and Arab traders visiting the archipelago.{{Cite book |last=Guébourg |first=Jean-Louis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lsfav10mYCMC |title=Les Seychelles |date=2004 |publisher=Ed. Karthala |isbn=2-84586-358-6 |location=Paris |language=fr |oclc=419931142 |pages=27–28 |via=Google Books}} Vasco da Gama and his 4th Portuguese India Armada discovered the Seychelles on 15 March 1503; the first sighting was made by Thomé Lopes aboard Rui Mendes de Brito. Da Gama's ships passed close to an elevated island, probably Silhouette Island, and the following day Desroches Island. Later, the Portuguese mapped a group of seven islands and named them The Seven Sisters.{{cite web |title= Seychelles: Settlement and the development of the plantation economy (1770–1944)|publisher=Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa |url=https://www.eisa.org/wep/seyoverview1.htm }} The earliest recorded landing was in January 1609, by the crew of the Ascension under Captain Alexander Sharpeigh during the fourth voyage of the British East India Company.

A transit point for trade between Africa and Asia, the islands were said to be occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid on Mahé by Captain Corneille Nicholas Morphey. The islands were named after French politician Jean Moreau de Séchelles, and were formally part of the colony of Isle de France.{{cite web |publisher=National Assembly of Seychelles |title=Our History |url=http://www.nationalassembly.sc/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&Itemid=53 |access-date=12 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628122148/http://www.nationalassembly.sc/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&Itemid=53 |archive-date=28 June 2012 |url-status=live }} In August 1770, the French ship Thélémaque under Captain Leblanc Lécore landed 15 white settlers and 13 African and Indian slaves on Ste. Anne Island.{{Cite web |last=Govinden |first=Gerard |date=2020-08-27 |title=250th Anniversary of First Settlement |url=https://nation.sc/articles/5891/250th-anniversary-of-first-settlement |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Seychelles Nation |language=en}}

During the French Revolutionary Wars, the Royal Navy frigate HMS Orpheus under Captain Henry Newcombe arrived at Mahé on 16 May 1794. Jean Baptiste Quéau de Quincy, the senior administrator in the Seychelles, refused to resist Orpheus and instead successfully negotiated with the British, resulting the islands remaining under French control as "neutral" territory. After British forces completed their invasion of Isle de France in December 1810, they assumed control over the Seychelles, which was formalised in the 1814 Treaty of Paris that ended the War of the Sixth Coalition. Seychelles became a separate crown colony from Mauritius in 1903. Elections in Seychelles were held in 1966 and 1970.

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File:Victoria Seychelles 1900s.jpg

In 1976, Seychelles gained independence from the United Kingdom as a republic. It has since become a member of the Commonwealth.{{cite web |url=http://www.seychelles.com/en/about_seychelles/history.php |title=History of Seychelles |publisher=seychelles.com |year=2009 |access-date=9 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608091646/http://www.seychelles.com/en/about_seychelles/history.php |archive-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead }} In the 1970s Seychelles was "the place to be seen, a playground for film stars and the international jet set".Joanna Symons (21 March 2005). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/seychelles/732553/Seychelles-Lifes-a-breeze-near-the-equator.html "Seychelles: Life's a breeze near the equator"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504225308/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/seychelles/732553/Seychelles-Lifes-a-breeze-near-the-equator.html |date=4 May 2018 }}. Telegraph.co.uk. In 1977, a coup d'état by France Albert René ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham.{{cite web |url=http://africanhistory.about.com/od/seychelles/p/SeychellesHist1.htm |title=africanhistory.about.com |publisher=africanhistory.about.com |access-date=23 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314184227/http://africanhistory.about.com/od/seychelles/p/SeychellesHist1.htm |archive-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=live }} René discouraged over-dependence on tourism and declared that he wanted "to keep Seychelles for the Seychellois".

The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991.{{cite web |title=Seychelles – Return to a Multiparty System |url=https://countrystudies.us/seychelles/26.htm |website=countrystudies.us}}

In the 1980s there were a series of coup attempts against President René, some of which were supported by South Africa. In 1981, Mike Hoare led a team of 43 South African mercenaries masquerading as holidaying rugby players in the 1981 Seychelles coup d'état attempt. There was a gun battle at the airport, and most of the mercenaries later escaped in a hijacked Air India plane. The leader of this hijacking was German mercenary D. Clodo, a former member of the Rhodesian SAS.Hoare, Mike The Seychelles Affair (Transworld, London, 1986; {{ISBN|0-593-01122-8}}) Clodo later stood trial in South Africa (where he was acquitted) as well as in his home country Germany for air piracy.Bartus László: Maffiaregény {{ISBN|9634405967}}, Budapest 2001

In 1986, an attempted coup led by the Seychelles Minister of Defence, Ogilvy Berlouis, caused President René to request assistance from India. In Operation Flowers are Blooming, the Indian Navy's Nilgiri-class frigate Vindhyagiri arrived in Port Victoria to help avert the coup.{{cite journal |author=Brewster |first1=David |last2=Rai |first2=Ranjit |date=10 August 2014 |title=Flowers Are Blooming: the story of the India Navy's secret operation in the Seychelles. |url=https://www.academia.edu/7698363 |url-status=live |journal=Academia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607235023/http://www.academia.edu/7698363/Flowers_Are_Blooming_the_story_of_the_India_Navys_secret_operation_in_the_Seychelles |archive-date=7 June 2015 |access-date=11 August 2014 }}

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.{{cite web |title=FAO.org |url=https://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC132619/ |website=www.fao.org}}

In June 2012, during a conference at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, a commitment was made by the Seychelles government to protect 30% of its 1.35 million square kilometre marine waters within the country's marine protected areas.

In January 2013, Seychelles declared a state of emergency when the tropical cyclone Felleng caused torrential rain, and flooding and landslides destroyed hundreds of houses.{{cite web|url=http://www.un-spider.org/about-us/news/en/6428/2013-02-01t161200/international-chapter-activated-flooding-republic-seychelles|title=International Chapter activated for flooding in the Republic of Seychelles|publisher=United Nation|access-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203214223/http://www.un-spider.org/about-us/news/en/6428/2013-02-01t161200/international-chapter-activated-flooding-republic-seychelles|archive-date=3 February 2013|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2013/01/201312993838165255.html|title=State of Emergency declared in the Seychelles|publisher=Aljazeera|access-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130060303/http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2013/01/201312993838165255.html|archive-date=30 January 2013|url-status=live}}

Following the coup in 1977, the president always represented the same political party until the October 2020 Seychellois general election, which was historic in that the opposition party won. Wavel Ramkalawan was the first president who did not represent United Seychelles (the current name of the former Seychelles People's Progressive Front).{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/25/seychelles-election-marks-first-opposition-victory-in-44-years|title=Seychelles election marks first opposition victory in 44 years|website=TheGuardian.com |date=25 October 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54692210|title=Seychelles elections: How a priest rose to become president|work=BBC News|date=28 October 2020}}

In January 2023, Seychelles announced its final stages of completing its marine spatial plan. It would become the second largest ocean area at {{convert|1.35|e6km2|sqmi|abbr=unit}} behind Norway, in support of its blue economy.{{cite web |title=Ocean conservation: Seychelles' marine spatial plan in final stages of completion |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/18023/Ocean+conservation+Seychelles+marine+spatial+plan+in+final+stages+of+completion |website=www.seychellesnewsagency.com}}

{{main|Politics of Seychelles}}

The Seychelles president, who is head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature. As of 2023, the president is Wavel Ramkalawan.

The unicameral Seychellois parliament, the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, consists of 35 members, 26 of whom are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining nine seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.

The Supreme Court of Seychelles, created in 1903, is the highest trial court in Seychelles and the first court of appeal from all the lower courts and tribunals. The highest court of law in Seychelles is the Seychelles Court of Appeal, which is the court of final appeal in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.bas.sc/seychelles-legal-system/the-judiciary|title=The Judiciary|publisher=Bar Association of Seychelles|access-date=18 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301051942/http://www.bas.sc/seychelles-legal-system/the-judiciary|archive-date=1 March 2016}}

File:James Michel in meeting.jpg in his office in Victoria, 2009]]

Seychelles' long-term president France-Albert René came to power after his supporters overthrew the first president James Mancham on 5 June 1977 in a coup d'état and installed him as president. René was at that time the prime minister. René ruled as a strongman under a socialist one-party system until 1993, when he was forced to introduce a multi-party system. He stepped down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel, who was re-elected in 2006, 2011 and again in 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/4301/James+Michel+secures+third+term+winning+.+percent+votes+in+Seychelles+presidential+run-off|title=James Michel secures third term winning 50.15 percent votes in Seychelles presidential run-off|website=www.seychellesnewsagency.com}}{{cite web | title=Results reflect popular will, observers say | work=Seychelles Nation | url=http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=23584 | access-date=30 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928140238/http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=23584 | archive-date=28 September 2011 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}{{cite news | title=Seychelles re-elects President Michel | work=Reuters | url=https://af.reuters.com/article/seychellesNews/idAFLDE74K0E820110521?sp=true | access-date=23 May 2011 | date=21 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725212131/http://af.reuters.com/article/seychellesNews/idAFLDE74K0E820110521?sp=true | archive-date=25 July 2012 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|title=Vote buying claims mar Seychelles election |work=Agence France-Presse |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ix-TzZJRTJJ_PAHQoACqmS7xSQ3Q?docId=CNG.07d4a47a8ce76f0e07e322726bdf65a2.b1 |date=19 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525013907/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ix-TzZJRTJJ_PAHQoACqmS7xSQ3Q?docId=CNG.07d4a47a8ce76f0e07e322726bdf65a2.b1 |archive-date=25 May 2012 }} On 28 September 2016, the Office of the President announced that Michel would step down effective 16 October, and that Vice President Danny Faure would complete the rest of Michel's term.{{cite web |title=Seychelles vice president to complete term of resigning president |author=George Thande |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-seychelles-politics-idUSKCN11Y0DM |work=Reuters |date=28 September 2016 |access-date=28 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929145955/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-seychelles-politics-idUSKCN11Y0DM |archive-date=29 September 2016 |url-status=live }}

On 26 October 2020, Wavel Ramkalawan, a 59-year-old Anglican priest, was elected the fifth President of the Republic of Seychelles. Ramkalawan was an opposition MP from 1993 to 2011, and from 2016 to 2020. He served as the Leader of the Opposition from 1998 to 2011 and from 2016 to 2020. Ramkalawan defeated incumbent Danny Faure by 54.9% to 43.5%. This marked the first time the opposition had won a presidential election in Seychelles.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54681360|title=Seychelles election: Wavel Ramkalawan in landmark win|work=BBC News|date=25 October 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/25/seychelles-opposition-candidate-wins-presidential-election |title=Seychelles opposition candidate wins presidential election |work=Al Jazeera |date=25 October 2020 |access-date=5 February 2021}}

The primary political parties are the former long-time ruling socialist People's Party (PP), known until 2009 as the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF) now called United Seychelles (US), and the socially liberal Seychelles National Party (SNP).{{cite web|url=http://www.seychelles4u.com/Seychelles-Info/mobile|title=Seychellen4you – Seychelles Info|website=www.seychelles4u.com|language=de-DE|access-date=21 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322020108/http://www.seychelles4u.com/Seychelles-Info/mobile/|archive-date=22 March 2017|url-status=live}}

The election of the National Assembly was held on 22–24 October 2020. The Seychelles National Party, the Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy and the Seychelles United Party formed a coalition, Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS). LDS won 25 seats and US got 10 seats of the 35 seats of the National Assembly.{{cite news |title=EISA Seychelles: 2020 National Assembly election results overview |url=https://www.eisa.org/wep/sey2020results0.htm |work=www.eisa.org}}

{{Further|Foreign relations of Seychelles}}

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.

Between 1979 and 1983, various plots to overthrow the non-aligned government of France-Albert Rene were, according to leading participants, supported by the United States, France, and South Africa. Commonly cited reasons for such attempts include Rene's socialist politics, his non-aligned stance toward the Western and Eastern Blocs, and the United States' military lease in the country, which was set to expire in 1990. All coup efforts in this period failed.{{Cite book |last=Blum |first=William |title=Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II |date=2014 |publisher=Zed Books Ltd |isbn=978-1-78360-177-6 |edition=Updated |location=London |pages=267–269}} Under the Obama administration, the US began running drone operations out of Seychelles.{{Cite book|title=Tomorrow's Battlefield: US Proxy Wars and Secret Ops in Africa|last=Turse|first=Nick|publisher=Haymarket Books|year=2015|isbn=978-1-60846-463-0|location=Chicago|pages=13, 55}} In the Spring of 2013, members of the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa mentored troops in Seychelles, along with a variety of other African nations.

{{main|Seychelles People's Defence Force}}

The Military of Seychelles is the Seychelles People's Defence Force which consists of a number of distinct branches: an Infantry Unit and Coast Guard, Air Force and a Presidential Protection Unit. India has played and continues to play a key role in developing the military of Seychelles. After handing over two SDB Mk5 patrol vessels built by GRSE, the INS Tarasa and INS Tarmugli, to the Seychelles Coast Guard, which were subsequently renamed PS Constant and PS Topaz, India also gifted a Dornier 228 aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.[http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-11-08/news/55894379_1_k-dhowan-maritime-security-indian-ocean "India gifts second fast attack craft INS Tarasa to the Seychelles Coast Guard"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131651/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-11-08/news/55894379_1_k-dhowan-maritime-security-indian-ocean |date=2 April 2015 }}. Times of India. 8 November 2014 India also signed a pact to develop Assumption Island. Spread over {{convert|11|km2|0|abbr=on}}, it is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar. The island is being leased for the development of strategic assets by India.Shubhajit Roy (12 March 2015) [http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-seychelles-sign-four-pacts-to-boost-security-cooperation/ "India to develop strategic assets in 2 Mauritius, Seychelles islands"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311205408/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-seychelles-sign-four-pacts-to-boost-security-cooperation/ |date=11 March 2015 }}. The Indian Express. In 2018, Seychelles signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.{{cite web |url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en |title=Chapter XXVI: Disarmament – No. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons |publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection |date=7 July 2017}}{{cite news |title=President of Seychelles signs treaty banning nuclear weapons, meets with leaders at UN |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/9806/President+of+Seychelles+signs+treaty+banning+nuclear+weapons%2C+meets+with+leaders+at+UN |work=Seychelles News Agency |date=27 September 2018}}

{{Further|List of countries by incarceration rate}}

In 2014, Seychelles had the highest incarceration rate in the world of 799 prisoners per 100,000 population, exceeding the United States' rate by 15%.{{cite web | url=http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison_population_rate?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All | title=Highest to Lowest – Prison Population Rates Across the World | publisher=World Prison Brief | date=2014 | access-date=22 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111000721/http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison_population_rate?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All | archive-date=11 November 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }} However, the country's actual population was less than 100,000; as of September 2014, Seychelles had 735 actual prisoners, 6% of whom were female and were incarcerated in three prisons.{{cite web | url=http://www.prisonstudies.org/country/seychelles | title=Data for prison population in Seychelles | publisher=World Prison Brief | date=2014 | access-date=22 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107120440/http://prisonstudies.org/country/seychelles | archive-date=7 November 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}

The incarceration rate in Seychelles has since dropped significantly. It is no longer among the top ten countries with the highest rate of incarceration. In 2022, the incarceration rate was 287 per 100,000 population, being just the 31st highest in the world.{{cite news |title=Incarceration Rates by Country 2022 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country |work=worldpopulationreview.com}}

Seychelles is a key participant in the fight against Indian Ocean piracy primarily committed by Somali pirates.{{cite web | url=http://www.worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/a-pirate-s-prison-tucked-inside-seychelles-paradise/c1s4825/#.VayUIflViko | title=A Pirate's Prison Tucked Inside Seychelles Paradise | publisher=Worldcrunch | date=6 March 2012 | access-date=22 October 2016 | author=Colonnello, Paolo | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017100317/http://www.worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/a-pirate-s-prison-tucked-inside-seychelles-paradise/c1s4825/#.VayUIflViko | archive-date=17 October 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }} Former president James Michel said that piracy costs between $7 million – $12 million a year to the international community: "The pirates cost 4% of the Seychelles GDP, including direct and indirect costs for the loss of boats, fishing, and tourism, and the indirect investment for the maritime security." These are factors affecting local fishing – one of the country's main national resources – which had a 46% loss in 2008–2009. International contributions of patrol boats, planes or drones have been provided to help Seychelles combat sea piracy.

{{main|Districts of Seychelles}}

Seychelles 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 ({{lang|fr|Îles Eloignées}}) make up the last district recently created by the tourism ministry.

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{{col-3}}

Greater Victoria

• Bel Air
• La Rivière Anglaise (English River)
• Les Mamelles
• Mont Buxton
• Mont Fleuri
• Plaisance
• Roche Caiman
• Saint Louis

{{col-3}}

Rural Mahé

• Anse aux Pins
• Anse Boileau
• Anse Etoile
• Au Cap
• Anse Royale
• Baie Lazare
• Beau Vallon
• Bel Ombre
• Cascade
• Glacis
• Grand'Anse Mahé
• Pointe La Rue
• Port Glaud
• Takamaka

{{col-3}}

Praslin

• Baie Sainte Anne (Anse Volbert)
• Grand'Anse Praslin (Grande Anse)

La Digue and remaining Inner Islands

• La Digue (Anse Réunion)

{{col-end}}

{{main|Geography of Seychelles|Geology of Seychelles}}

{{more citations needed section|date=February 2017}}

File:Praslin vom Nid d'Aigle.jpg, the second largest island of Seychelles]]

File:Se-map.gif

An island nation, Seychelles is located in the Somali Sea segment of the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and about {{convert|1600|km|nmi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} east of Kenya. The Constitution of Seychelles lists 155 named islands,{{cite web | url= https://greybook.seylii.org/w/se/CAP42#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA | title= Constitution of Seychelles | website= seylii.org | publisher= | date= | access-date= | archive-date= 24 January 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210124161053/https://greybook.seylii.org/w/se/CAP42#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA | url-status= dead }} and a further 7 reclaimed islands have been created subsequent to the publication of the Constitution. The majority of the islands are uninhabited, with many dedicated as nature reserves. Seychelles' largest island, Mahé, is located {{convert|835|nmi|km|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}} from Mogadishu (Somalia's capital).Werema, Gilbert. "Safeguarding Tourism and Tuna: Seychelles’ Fight against the Somali Piracy Problem." (2012).

A group of 44 islands (42 granitic and 2 coralline) occupy the shallow waters of the Seychelles Bank and are collectively referred to as the inner islands. They have a total area of {{cvt|244|km2|sqmi|0}}, accounting for 54% of the total land area of the Seychelles and 98% of the entire population.

The islands have been divided into groups. There are 42 granitic islands known as the Granitic Seychelles. These are in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, Ste. 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).

File:Anse Source d'Argent 2-La Digue.jpg]]

There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics on the edge of the Seychelles Bank: Denis and Bird. There are two coral islands south of the Granitic: Coëtivy and Platte.

File:Anse Lazio beach Praslin Seychelles.jpg on the island of Praslin]]

There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitic: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising three islands—Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands—St. Joseph, Île aux Fouquets, Resource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Île Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Île aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnœufs, African Banks (comprising two islands—African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. François, Boudeuse, Étoile, Bijoutier.

There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-southwest of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands—Bancs de Sable, Déposés, Île aux Goëlettes, Lapins, Île 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.

File:Seychelles 017.JPG

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, Île Michel, Île Esprit, Île aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Émile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Île Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Héron Rock, Hide Island, Île aux Aigrettes, Île aux Cèdres, Îles Chalands, Île Fangame, Île Héron, Île Michel, Île Squacco, Île Sylvestre, Île 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 Island, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands—Menai, Île du Nord (West North), Île Nord-Est (East North), Île du Trou, Goélettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Île (Wizard), Pagode, Île du Sud-Ouest (South), Île aux Moustiques, Île Baleine, Île aux Chauve-Souris, Île aux Macaques, Île aux Rats, Île du Nord-Ouest, Île Observation, Île Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix).

In addition to these 155 islands, as per the Constitution of Seychelles, there are 7 reclaimed islands: Ile Perseverance, Ile Aurore, Romainville, Eden Island, Eve, Ile du Port and Ile Soleil.

South Island, African Banks has been eroded by the sea. At St Joseph Atoll, Banc de Sable and Pelican Island have also eroded, while Grand Carcassaye and Petit Carcassaye have merged to form one island. There are also several unnamed islands at Aldabra, St Joseph Atoll and Cosmoledo. Pti Astove, though named, failed to make it into the Constitution for unknown reasons. Bancs Providence is not a single island, but a dynamic group of islands, comprising four large and about six very small islets in 2016.

The climate is very humid, as the islands are small,{{cite web | url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/6268.htm | title = Background Note: Seychelles | publisher = U.S. Department of State |website= state.gov| access-date = 25 May 2010 | df = dmy-all }} This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. and is classified by the Köppen-Geiger system as a tropical rain forest (Af). The temperature varies little throughout the year. Temperatures on Mahé vary from {{convert|24|to|30|°C|°F|0}}, and rainfall ranges from {{convert|2900|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} annually at Victoria to {{convert|3600|mm|in|0||sigfig=2|abbr=on}} on the mountain slopes. Precipitation levels are somewhat less on the other islands.{{cite web| url= http://www.stgt.com/seychelles/html/climate.htm| title= Climate | website= STGT.com| publisher= Stuttgart Information| access-date=23 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120306150756/http://www.stgt.com/seychelles/html/climate.htm|archive-date=6 March 2012}}

During the coolest months, July and August, the average low is about {{convert|24|°C|°F|0}}. The southeast trade winds blow regularly from May to November, and this is the most pleasant time of the year. The hot months are from December to April, with higher humidity (80%). March and April are the hottest months, but the temperature seldom exceeds {{convert|31|°C|°F|0}}. Most of the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so high winds are rare.

{{Weather box

|location = Victoria (Seychelles International Airport)

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|Jan high C = 29.8

|Feb high C = 30.4

|Mar high C = 31.0

|Apr high C = 31.4

|May high C = 30.5

|Jun high C = 29.1

|Jul high C = 28.3

|Aug high C = 28.4

|Sep high C = 29.1

|Oct high C = 29.6

|Nov high C = 30.1

|Dec high C = 30.0

|year high C = 29.8

|Jan mean C = 26.8

|Feb mean C = 27.3

|Mar mean C = 27.8

|Apr mean C = 28.0

|May mean C = 27.7

|Jun mean C = 26.6

|Jul mean C = 25.8

|Aug mean C = 25.9

|Sep mean C = 26.4

|Oct mean C = 26.7

|Nov mean C = 26.8

|Dec mean C = 26.7

|year mean C = 26.9

|Jan low C = 24.1

|Feb low C = 24.6

|Mar low C = 24.8

|Apr low C = 25.0

|May low C = 25.4

|Jun low C = 24.6

|Jul low C = 23.9

|Aug low C = 23.9

|Sep low C = 24.2

|Oct low C = 24.3

|Nov low C = 24.0

|Dec low C = 23.9

|year low C = 24.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 379

|Feb precipitation mm = 262

|Mar precipitation mm = 167

|Apr precipitation mm = 177

|May precipitation mm = 124

|Jun precipitation mm = 63

|Jul precipitation mm = 80

|Aug precipitation mm = 97

|Sep precipitation mm = 121

|Oct precipitation mm = 206

|Nov precipitation mm = 215

|Dec precipitation mm = 281

|year precipitation mm =

|Jan humidity= 82

|Feb humidity= 80

|Mar humidity= 79

|Apr humidity= 80

|May humidity= 79

|Jun humidity= 79

|Jul humidity= 80

|Aug humidity= 79

|Sep humidity= 78

|Oct humidity= 79

|Nov humidity= 80

|Dec humidity= 82

|year humidity = 79.8

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 17

|Feb precipitation days = 11

|Mar precipitation days = 11

|Apr precipitation days = 14

|May precipitation days = 11

|Jun precipitation days = 10

|Jul precipitation days = 10

|Aug precipitation days = 10

|Sep precipitation days = 11

|Oct precipitation days = 12

|Nov precipitation days = 14

|Dec precipitation days = 18

|Jan sun = 153.3

|Feb sun = 175.5

|Mar sun = 210.5

|Apr sun = 227.8

|May sun = 252.8

|Jun sun = 232.0

|Jul sun = 230.5

|Aug sun = 230.7

|Sep sun = 227.7

|Oct sun = 220.7

|Nov sun = 195.7

|Dec sun = 170.5

|source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web |url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/080/c00253.htm |title=World Weather Information Service – Victoria |publisher=World Meteorological Organization |website= wmo.int| date= |access-date=16 November 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130313184413/http://worldweather.wmo.int/080/c00253.htm |archive-date=13 March 2013 |url-status=live }}

|source 2 = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration{{NOAA normals|id=RA-I/SC/63980 |title= Seychelles INTL AP Climate Normals 1971–1990 | accessdate=16 November 2012}}

|date = March 2012

}}

{{main|Wildlife of Seychelles}}

{{multiple image|total_width=300

| perrow = 2

| image1 = Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher.jpg

| image2 = Bird flocks Bird Island Seychelles.jpg

| footer = Left: Seychelles paradise flycatcher; right: bird flocks on Bird Island, Seychelles

}}

file:Aldabra Female on Curieuse.JPG]]

Seychelles is among the world's leading countries to protect lands for threatened species, allocating 42% of its territory for conservation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/mapped-the-countries-with-the-most-protected-areas/|title=Mapped: The countries with the most protected land (#1 might surprise you)|work=The Telegraph|access-date=7 February 2018|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223043633/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/mapped-the-countries-with-the-most-protected-areas/|archive-date=23 February 2018|url-status=live}} Like many fragile island ecosystems, Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity when humans first settled in the area, including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, the felling of coastal and mid-level forests, and the extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet, and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation. Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. The rare Seychelles black parrot, the national bird of the country, is now protected.

The freshwater crab genus Seychellum is endemic to the granitic Seychelles, and a further 26 species of crabs and five species of hermit crabs live on the islands.{{cite book | first= Janet |last= Haig|year=1984 |chapter=Land and freshwater crabs of the Seychelles and neighbouring islands |page=123 |editor=David Ross Stoddart |title=Biogeography and Ecology of the Seychelles Islands |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-90-6193-107-2 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAu6qogRHloC&pg=PA123 | via= Google Books}} From the year 1500 until the mid-1800s (approximately), the then-previously unknown Aldabra giant tortoise was killed for food by pirates and sailors, driving their numbers to near-extinction levels. Today, a healthy yet fragile population of 150,000 tortoises live solely on the atoll of Aldabra, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.{{cite web|url=https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5078/Aldabra-Tortoise |publisher=Idaho Falls Zoo/City of Idaho Falls, Idaho |accessdate=15 October 2022 |title=Aldabra giant tortoise}}{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/185/ |title=Aldabra Atoll – UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=UNESCO |accessdate=15 October 2022}} Additionally, these ancient reptiles can further be found in numerous zoos, botanical gardens, and private collections internationally. Their protection from poaching and smuggling is overseen by CITES, whilst captive breeding has greatly reduced the negative impact on the remaining wild populations. The granitic islands of Seychelles supports three extant species of Seychelles giant tortoise.

Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world, notably on the outer islands of Aldabra and Cosmoledo. In granitic Seychelles the largest colonies are on Aride Island including the world's largest numbers of two species. The sooty tern also breeds on the islands. Other common birds include cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and the fairy tern (Gygis alba).{{cite book| last= Attenborough| first= D| year= 1998| title= The Life of Birds| pages= 220–221| publisher= BBC |isbn= 0563-38792-0}} More than 1,000 species of fish have been recorded.{{citation needed|date= January 2022}}

The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to roughly 268 flowering plant species, of which 70 (28%) are endemic.{{cite journal |title=Phylogenetic affinity of an enigmatic Rubiaceae from the Seychelles revealing a recent biogeographic link with Central Africa: gen. nov. Seychellea and trib. nov. Seychelleeae |date=2020 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106685 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S105579031930449X |last1=Razafimandimbison |first1=Sylvain G. |last2=Kainulainen |first2=Kent |last3=Senterre |first3=Bruno |last4=Morel |first4=Charles |last5=Rydin |first5=Catarina |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=143 |pmid=31734453 |bibcode=2020MolPE.14306685R }}{{Cite web|url=https://macce.gov.sc/seychelles-clearing-house-mechanism/species/|title=Species – Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment}} Particularly well known is the coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the "love nut" (the shape of its "double" coconut resembles buttocks), the coco-de-mer produces the world's heaviest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations on Mahé. This strange and ancient plant, in a genus of its own, Medusagyne seems to reproduce only in cultivation and not in the wild. Other unique plant species include Wright's gardenia (Rothmannia annae), found only on Aride Island’s Special Reserve. There are several unique species of orchid on the islands. Famous botanist Dr. Herb Herbertson was known for his love of the islands unique orchid varieties.{{cite web |last1=Gachanja |first1=Nelly |title=All About Seychelles |url=https://www.africa.com/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-seychelles/ |website=www.africa.com}}

Seychelles is home to two terrestrial ecoregions: Granitic Seychelles forests and Aldabra Island xeric scrub.{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|author-link1=:de:Eric Dinerstein|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|author-link6=Eric Wikramanayake|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|author-link10=Reed Noss|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|author-link12=Harvey Locke|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C.|author-link13=Erle Ellis|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|author-link18=Vance Martin|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Secrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|author-link24=Kieran Suckling|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|author-link39=Shahina A. Ghazanfar|last40=Timberlate|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|display-authors=3|date=2017-04-05|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|pages=534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|doi-access=free|pmc=5451287|pmid=28608869|issn=0006-3568}} The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 10/10, ranking it first globally out of 172 countries.{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S. |last2= Duncan| first2= A. |last3= Evans| first3= T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L. |last6= Schuster| first6= R. |last7= Walston |first7= J. |last8= Ray |first8= J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.| last13= DeGemmis |first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15= Ervin |first15= J. |last16= Franco |first16= P. |last17= Goldman |first17= E. |last18= Goetz |first18= S. |last19= Hansen| first19= A.| last20= Hofsvang| first20= E.| last21= Jantz| first21= P.| last22= Jupiter| first22= S.| last23= Kang| first23= A.| last24= Langhammer| first24= P.| last25= Laurance| first25= W. F.| last26= Lieberman| first26= S.| last27= Linkie| first27= M.| last28= Malhi| first28= Y.| last29= Maxwell| first29= S.| last30= Mendez| first30= M.| last31= Mittermeier| first31= R.| last32= Murray| first32= N. J.| last33= Possingham| first33= H.| last34= Radachowsky| first34= J.| last35= Saatchi| first35= S.| last36= Samper| first36= C.| last37= Silverman| first37= J.| last38= Shapiro| first38= A.| last39= Strassburg| first39= B.| last40= Stevens| first40= T.| last41= Stokes| first41= E.| last42= Taylor| first42= R.| last43= Tear| first43= T.| last44= Tizard| first44= R.| last45= Venter| first45= O.| last46= Visconti| first46= P.| last47= Wang| first47= S.| last48= Watson| first48=J. E. M.|display-authors= 3| title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material |journal= Nature Communications |volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3| pmid= 33293507| pmc= 7723057 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G |doi-access=free}}

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. Coral bleaching in 1998 has damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (such as Silhouette Island).

Despite huge disparities across nations,{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} Seychelles claims to have achieved nearly all of its Millennium Development Goals.{{cite web| url= http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/MDG/english/MDG%20Country%20Reports/Seychelles/Seychelles%20MDR2010Print.pdf|title=Seychelles Millennium Development Goals: Status Report 2010|date=August 2010| website= undp.org| publisher= United Nations Development Programme |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181029044444/http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/MDG/english/MDG%20Country%20Reports/Seychelles/Seychelles%20MDR2010Print.pdf|archive-date=29 October 2018|url-status=live|access-date=29 October 2018}} 17 MDGS and 169 targets have been achieved.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} Environmental protection is becoming a cultural value.{{citation needed |date= September 2015}}

Their government's Seychelles Climate Guide describes the nation's climate as rainy, with a dry season with an ocean economy in the ocean regions. The Southeast Trades is on the decline but still fairly strong.{{cite web| url= http://www.meteo.gov.sc/index.php/climate/climate-services/seychelles-climate-guide | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065927/http://www.meteo.gov.sc/index.php/climate/climate-services/seychelles-climate-guide |title= Seychelles Climate Guide| year= 2015| publisher= Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change| website= meteo.gov.sc| archivedate= 4 March 2016| access-date= }} Reportedly, weather patterns there are becoming less predictable.{{cite web | url= https://www.expertafrica.com/seychelles/info/seychelles-weather-and-climate | title= Seychelles weather and climate: Blue Economy| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926071503/https://www.expertafrica.com/seychelles/info/seychelles-weather-and-climate |archivedate= 26 September 2015 | website= Expertafrica.com| access-date= 8 December 2016}}

{{main|Demographics of Seychelles}}

{{see also|Indo-Seychellois|Sino-Seychellois|Seychellois Creole people|Seychellois Creole|Franco-Seychellois}}

File:Seychelles-Mahé-victoria-kevin-gepford.jpg, capital and largest city of Seychelles]]

When the British gained control of the islands during the Napoleonic Wars, they allowed the French upper class to retain their land. Both the French and British settlers used enslaved Africans, and although the British prohibited slavery in 1835, African workers continued to come. The Gran blan ("big whites") of French origin dominated economic and political life. The British administration employed Indians on indentured servitude to the same degree as in Mauritius resulting in a small Indian population. The Indians, like a similar minority of Chinese, were generally in the merchant class.{{cite web |url=http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Seychelles.html |title=Culture of Seychelles |publisher=Everyculture.com |access-date=23 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422160631/http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Seychelles.html |archive-date=22 April 2012 |url-status=live }}

Today, Seychelles is described as a fusion of peoples and cultures. Numerous Seychellois are considered multiracial: blending from African, Asian and European descent to create a modern creole culture. Evidence of this blend is also revealed in Seychellois food, incorporating various aspects of French, Chinese, Indian and African cuisine.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

As the islands of Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois descend from people who immigrated, of which the largest ethnic groups were those of African, French, Indian and Chinese origin. The median age of the Seychellois is 34 years.{{Cite web |title=Seychelles Population (2022) – Worldometer |url=https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/seychelles-population/#:~:text=The%20median%20age%20in%20Seychelles%20is%2034.2%20years. |access-date=2022-07-05 |website=www.worldometers.info |language=en}}

French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is a French-based creole language related to those spoken in Mauritius and Reunion. Seychellois Creole is the most widely spoken native language and de facto the national language of the country. Seychellois Creole is often spoken with English words and phrases mixed in.{{cite web | url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/sc/languages | title=Seychelles languages | publisher=SIL International | edition=19th | location=Dallas, Texas | date=2016 | access-date=2 November 2016 | editor-last1=Lewis | editor-first1=M Paul | editor-last2=Simons | editor-first2=Gary F | editor-last3=Fennig | editor-first3=Charles D | work=Ethnologue: Languages of the World | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103235045/https://www.ethnologue.com/country/sc/languages | archive-date=3 November 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }} About 91% of the population are native speakers of Seychellois Creole, 5.1% of English and 0.7% of French. Most business and official meetings are conducted in English and nearly all official websites are in English. National Assembly business is conducted in Creole, but laws are passed and published in English.

Tamil is also a prominent language in Seychelles, spoken primarily by the Indo-Seychellois community, who form a significant part of the country's multilingual society.{{cite web |url=https://www.nation.sc/articles/16646/hindu-kavadi-procession-in-the-streets-of-victoria-on-sunday-february-5 |title=Hindu Kavadi procession in the streets of Victoria on Sunday February 5 |website=Nation.sc |access-date=2024-12-26}}

{{main|Religion in Seychelles|Hinduism in Seychelles|Islam in Seychelles}}

{{Multiple image

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|image1 = St Francis Church Mahe.jpg

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|caption1 = St. Francis of Assisi Church, Baie Lazare, Mahé island

|image2 = Hindu Temple Victoria Seychelles Islands of Africa.jpg

|width2 = 130

|alt2 =

|caption2 = Arulmigu Navashakti Vinayakar Temple in Victoria

}}

According to the 2022 census, most Seychellois are Christians: 61.3% were Roman Catholic, pastorally served by the exempt Diocese of Port Victoria; 5.0% were Anglican and 8.6% follows other sects of Christianity.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=Seychelles Population and Housing Census 2022 |url=https://www.nbs.gov.sc/downloads/1555-seychelles-population-and-housing-census-2022 |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=National Bureau of Statistics Seychelles |language=en-gb}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nsb.gov.sc/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Population_and_Housing_Census_2010_Report.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=18 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514112130/http://www.nsb.gov.sc/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Population_and_Housing_Census_2010_Report.pdf |archive-date=14 May 2014}}

Hinduism is the second largest religion, adhered to by more than 5.4% of the population. Hinduism is followed mainly by the Indo-Seychellois community.{{cite web|url=http://www.pfsr.org/history-of-seychelles/the-hindu-temple-of-seychelles/|title=History of Seychelles Hindu temple|access-date=18 September 2020|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926113235/http://www.pfsr.org/history-of-seychelles/the-hindu-temple-of-seychelles/|url-status=usurped}}

Islam is followed by another 1.6% of the population. Other faiths accounted for 1.1% of the population, while a further 5.9% were non-religious or did not specify a religion.

{{main|Economy of Seychelles}}

File:Mahe Beach - author with the sailfish by J. Strzelecki.JPG

File:Colourful Skirts at Seychelles Market.jpg

During the plantation era, cinnamon, vanilla and copra were the chief exports. In 1965, during a three-month visit to the islands, futurist Donald Prell prepared for the crown colony's Governor General an economic report containing a scenario for the future of the economy. Quoting from his report, in the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, and 20% worked in the public or government sector.{{cite book|author= D. B. Prell|title=Economic Study of the Seychelles Islands|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9_6yHAAACAAJ|year=1965|publisher=D.B. Prell}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/Economic.Study.Seychelles.1965.D.B.Prell|title=Economic. Study. Seychelles. 1965. D. B. Prell|via=Internet Archive|year=1965}} The Indian Ocean Tracking Station on Mahé used by the United States' Air Force Satellite Control Network was closed in August 1996 after the Seychelles government attempted to raise the rent to more than $10,000,000 per year.

Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labour force, compared to agriculture which today employs about 3% of the labour force. Despite the growth of tourism, farming and fishing continue to employ some people, as do industries that process coconuts and vanilla.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

{{As of|2013}}, the main export products are processed fish (60%) and non-fillet frozen fish (22%).[http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/syc/all/show/2013/ OEC – Products exported by the Seychelles (2013)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821072216/http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/syc/all/show/2013/ |date=21 August 2016 }}. Atlas.media.mit.edu. Retrieved on 8 December 2016.

The prime agricultural products currently produced in Seychelles include sweet potatoes, vanilla, coconuts and cinnamon. These products provide much of the economic support of the locals. Frozen and canned fish, copra, cinnamon and vanilla are the main export commodities.

The Seychelles government has prioritised a curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs and further privatisation of public enterprises. The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, banking, imports of basic products, telecommunications and a wide range of other businesses. According to the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, which measures the degree of limited government, market openness, regulatory efficiency, rule of law, and other factors, economic freedom has been increasing each year since 2010.{{cite web|title=2013 Index of Economic Freedom|url=http://www.heritage.org/index/country/seychelles|publisher=The Heritage Foundation|access-date=23 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708011801/http://www.heritage.org/index/country/seychelles|archive-date=8 July 2013|url-status=unfit}} {{unreliable source?|date=April 2022}}

The national currency of Seychelles is the Seychellois rupee. Initially tied to a basket of international currencies, it was unpegged and allowed to be devalued and float freely in 2008 on the presumed hopes of attracting further foreign investment in the Seychelles economy.{{cite web |title=Seychelles rupee is among best performing currencies against the dollar in Africa |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/15591/Seychelles+rupee+is+among+best+performing+currencies+against+the+dollar+in+Africa |website=www.seychellesnewsagency.com}}

Seychelles has emerged as the least corrupt country in Africa in the latest Corruption Perception Index report released by Transparency International in January 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/strategy/here-are-the-16-least-corrupt-countries-in-africa/kd55vn5|title=Here are the 16 least corrupt countries in Africa|date=23 January 2020}}

{{main|Tourism in Seychelles}}

File:General hotel.jpg

File:Seychelles 083.JPG]]

In 1971, with the opening of Seychelles International Airport, tourism became a significant industry, essentially dividing the economy into plantations and tourism. The tourism sector paid better, and the plantation economy could expand only so far. The plantation sector of the economy declined in prominence, and tourism became the primary industry of Seychelles. Consequently, there was a sustained spate of hotel construction throughout almost the entire 1970s which included the opening of Coral Strand Smart Choice, Vista Do Mar and Bougainville Hotel in 1972.

In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. These incentives have given rise to an enormous amount of investment in real estate projects and new resort properties, such as project TIME, distributed by the World Bank, along with its predecessor project MAGIC.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Since then 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 financial sector, through the establishment of the Financial Services Authority and the enactment of several pieces of legislation (such as the International Corporate Service Providers Act, the International Business Companies Act, the Securities Act, the Mutual Funds and Hedge Fund Act, amongst others). In March 2015, Seychelles allocated Assumption Island to be developed by India.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-to-develop-two-islands-in-Indian-Ocean/articleshow/46533103.cms India to develop two islands in Indian Ocean – Times of India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315162052/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-to-develop-two-islands-in-Indian-Ocean/articleshow/46533103.cms |date=15 March 2015 }}. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (11 March 2015). Retrieved on 8 December 2016.

Owing to the effects of COVID-19, Seychelles shut down its borders to international tourism in the year 2020. As the national vaccination programme progressed well, the nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism decided to reopen the borders to international tourists on 25 March 2021.

{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

File:Seychelles electricity production.svg

Although multinational oil companies have explored the waters around the islands, no oil or gas has been found. In 2005, a deal was signed with US firm Petroquest, giving it exploration rights to about {{convert|30,000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} around Constant, Topaz, Farquhar and Coëtivy islands until 2014. Seychelles imports oil from the Persian Gulf in the form of refined petroleum derivatives at the rate of about {{convert|5700|oilbbl/d|m3/day}}.

In recent years oil has been imported from Kuwait and Bahrain. Seychelles imports three times more oil than is needed for internal uses because it re-exports the surplus oil in the form of bunker for ships and aircraft calling at Mahé. There are no refining capacities on the islands. Oil and gas imports, distribution and re-export are the responsibility of Seychelles Petroleum (Sepec), while oil exploration is the responsibility of the Seychelles National Oil Company (SNOC).

{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2019}}

A National Art Gallery was inaugurated in 1994 on the occasion of the official opening of the National Cultural Centre, which houses the National Library and National Archives with other offices of the Ministry of Culture. At its inauguration, the Minister of Culture decreed that the exhibition of works of Seychellois artists, painters and sculptors was a testimony to the development of art in Seychelles as a creative form of expression, and provided a view of the state of the country's contemporary art. Painters have traditionally been inspired by Seychelles’ natural features to produce a wide range of works in media ranging from watercolours to oils, acrylics, collages, metals, aluminium, wood, fabrics, gouache, varnishes, recycled materials, pastels, charcoal, embossing, etching, and giclee prints. Local sculptors produce fine works in wood, stone, bronze and cartonnage. There are several art galleries around the island such as the National Gallery in Victoria, the Traditional wooden house galleries Kenwyn House gallery and Kaz Zanana Art Gallery in Victoria, Pagoda Art and Design Gallery in the Seychelles Chinese Culture Centre near the Selwyn Clarke market, and Eden gallery on Eden Island.

{{main|Music of Seychelles}}

{{unreferenced section | date=November 2022}}

Music and dance have always played prominent roles in Seychelles culture and local festivities. Rooted in African, Malagasy and European cultures, music characteristically features drums such as the tambour and tam-tam, and simple string instruments. The violin and guitar are relatively recent foreign imports which play a prominent role in contemporary music.

Among popular dances are the Sega, with hip-swaying and shuffling of the feet, and the Moutya, a dance dating back to the days of slavery, when it was often used to express strong emotions and discontent.

The music of Seychelles is diverse, a reflection of the fusion of cultures through its history. The folk music of the islands incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion. It includes African rhythms, aesthetic and instrumentation, such as the zez and the bom (known in Brazil as berimbau); European 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.

Contombley is a popular form of percussion music, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga. Kontredans, based on European contra dance, is also popular, especially in district and school competitions during the annual Festival Kreol (International Creole Festival). Moutya playing and dancing often occur at beach bazaars. Music is sung in the Seychellois Creole of the French language, and in French and English.

In 2021,{{cite web | url=https://kreolmagazine.com/culture/features/moutya-historic-inscription-during-unesco-event-in-paris/ | title=Moutya – Historic Inscription During UNESCO Event in Paris | International Magazine Kreol | date=2 November 2023 }} the Moutya, a slave trade-era dance, was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List as a symbol of psychological comfort in its role of resistance against hardship, poverty, servitude and social injustice.{{cite web |title=UNESCO – Moutya |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/moutya-01690 |publisher=UNESCO|language=en}}

{{main|Cuisine of Seychelles}}

File:Cutting coconuts Seychelles.jpg

Staple foods of Seychelles include fish, seafood and shellfish dishes, often accompanied with rice.{{cite book|title=Lonely Planet Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bKAH9zxBiA8C&pg=PA273|year=2010|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74179-167-9|pages=273–274}} Fish dishes are cooked several ways, such as steamed, grilled, wrapped in banana leaves, baked, salted and smoked. Curry dishes with rice are also a significant part of the country's cuisine.{{cite book|title=Practice Tests for IGCSE English as a Second Language Reading and Writing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NVT26ZRnGFQC&pg=PA50|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-14059-1|page=50|date=4 February 2010}}

Other staples include coconut, breadfruit, mangoes and kordonnyen fish. Dishes are often garnished with fresh flowers.{{cite book|author=Paul Tingay|title=Seychelles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NoUynTBELeIC&pg=PA33|year=2006|publisher=New Holland Publishers|isbn=978-1-84537-439-6|pages=33–34}}

• Chicken dishes, such as chicken curry and coconut milk.{{cite book|author=Dyfed Lloyd Evans|title=The Recipes of Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJxlWwrVcKcC&pg=PA235|publisher=Dyfed Lloyd Evans|pages=235–236}}
• Coconut curry
• Dal (lentils)
• Fish curry
• Saffron rice
• Fresh tropical fruits{{cite book|author1=Lloyd E. Hudman|author2=Richard H. Jackson|title=Geography of Travel and Tourism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MyGjpyNAur0C&pg=PA384|year=2003|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-7668-3256-5|page=384}}
• Ladob, eaten either as a savoury dish or as a dessert. The dessert version usually consists of ripe plantain and sweet potatoes (but may also include cassava, breadfruit or even corossol), boiled with coconut milk, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla in the form of a pod until the fruit is soft and the sauce is creamy. The savoury dish usually includes salted fish, cooked in a similar fashion to the dessert version, with plantain, cassava and breadfruit, but with salt used in place of sugar (and omitting vanilla).
• Shark chutney typically consists of boiled skinned shark, finely mashed and cooked with squeezed bilimbi juice and lime. It is mixed with onion and spices, with the onion fried and cooked in oil.Sarah Carpin (1998) Seychelles, Odyssey Guides, The Guidebook Company Limited. p. 77
• Vegetables

{{main|Media and telecommunications in Seychelles}}

The main daily newspaper is the Seychelles Nation and Seychelles News Agency dedicated to local government views and current topics. Other newspapers include Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly, The People, Regar, and [https://www.todayinseychelles.com/ Today in Seychelles].{{Cite web |title=Today in Seychelles - Home |url=https://www.todayinseychelles.com/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=www.todayinseychelles.com}}{{cite web |title=Seychelles media guide |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094089 |website=BBC News |date=9 July 2011 |access-date=4 January 2025}} Foreign newspapers and magazines are readily available at most bookshops and newsagents. The papers are published mostly in Seychellois Creole, French and English.

Seychelles prominent digital Newspaper Seychelles News Agency ceases its operation completely following the decision of Seychelles government and National Information Service Agency (NISA) after 10 years of News reporting in Seychelles.{{Cite news |last=Vannier |first=Rassin |date=2024-12-19 |title=End of an era: After 10 years of operation, Seychelles News Agency to go offline on Jan. 1, 2025 |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/21698/End+of+an+era+After++years+of+operation%2C+Seychelles+News+Agency+to+go+offline+on+Jan.+%2C+ |work=Seychelles News Agency}}

The main television and radio network, operated by the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation, offers locally produced news and discussion programmes in the Seychellois Creole language, between 3 pm and 11:30 pm on weekdays and longer hours on weekends. There are also imported English- and French-language television programmes on Seychellois terrestrial television, and international satellite television has grown rapidly in recent years.

{{Outdated as of|year=2025|month=May|topic=Beach Soccer World Cup}}

Seychelles' most popular sport is football, which has significantly grown in popularity in the last decade.{{Cite web |title=Sport in The Seychelles |url=https://www.topendsports.com/world/countries/seychelles.htm |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=www.topendsports.com}} In 2015, Seychelles hosted the African Beach Soccer Championship. Ten years later, Seychelles will host the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup making it the first ever FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup to be ever held in Africa.

{{see also|Women in Seychelles}}

File:Miss Seychelles 08 Elena Angione.jpg

Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most expenditure and looking after children's interests. Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children. Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral.Tartter, Jean R. "Status of Women". [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/sctoc.html Indian Ocean country studies: Seychelles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051211060002/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/sctoc.html|date=11 December 2005}} (Helen Chapin Metz, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (August 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2007/100502.htm Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Seychelles (2007)] Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (11 March 2008). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

{{Main|LGBT rights in Seychelles}}

Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/seychelles-has-officially-legalized-homosexuality/|title=The Seychelles will make gay sex legal|work=Gay Star News|date=2 March 2016|access-date=9 May 2021|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327113541/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/seychelles-has-officially-legalized-homosexuality/|url-status=dead}} The bill decriminalising homosexuality was approved in a 14–0 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/05/18/seychelles-repeals-colonial-era-law-banning-gay-sex/|title=Seychelles repeals colonial-era law banning gay sex|date=18 May 2016|access-date=9 May 2021}} Employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is banned in the Seychelles, making it one of the few African countries to have such protections for LGBT people.[http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2012.pdf "State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults", International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, authored by Lucas Paoli Itaborahy, May 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017205059/http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2012.pdf |date=17 October 2012 }} {{rp|page: 34}}{{cite web|url=https://staging.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/40108/90799/F1128259675/SYC40108.pdf|title=Employment Act, 1995|access-date=9 May 2021}}{{dead link|date=June 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{main|Education in Seychelles}}

Seychelles has the highest literacy rate of any country in sub-Saharan Africa.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/literacy/ |title=Literacy – The World Factbook |publisher=Cia.gov |date= |accessdate=2 May 2022}} According to The World Factbook of the Central Intelligence Agency, as of 2018, 95.9% of the population aged 15 and over can read and write in the Seychelles.

Until the mid-19th century, little formal education was available in Seychelles. The Catholic and Anglican churches opened mission schools in 1851. The Catholic mission later operated boys' and girls' secondary schools with religious brothers and nuns from abroad even after the government became responsible for them in 1944.{{cite journal |last1=Whitehead |first1=Clive |title='...a proper subject of reproach to the Empire'. Reflections on British Education Policy in the Seychelles 1938–1948 |journal=Education Research and Perspectives |date=December 2008 |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=95–111 }}

A teacher training college opened in 1959, when the supply of locally trained teachers began to grow, and in short time many new schools were established. Since 1981 a system of free education has been in effect, requiring attendance by all children in grades one to nine, beginning at age six. Ninety-four percent of all children attend primary school.{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Seychelles: National Education Profile, 2018 Update |url=https://www.epdc.org/sites/default/files/documents/EPDC_NEP_2018_Seychelles.pdf |access-date=November 20, 2023}}

The literacy rate for school-age children rose to more than 90% by the late 1980s. Many older Seychellois had not been taught to read or write in their childhood; adult education classes helped raise adult literacy from 60% to a claimed 96% in 2020.{{Cite web |title=World Bank Open Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=World Bank Open Data}}

There are a total of 68 schools in Seychelles. The public school system consists of 23 crèches, 25 primary schools and 13 secondary schools. They are located on Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette. Additionally, there are three private schools: École Française, International School and the independent school. All the private schools are on Mahé, and the International School has a branch on Praslin. There are seven post-secondary (non-tertiary) schools: the Seychelles Polytechnic, School of Advanced Level Studies, Seychelles Tourism Academy, University of Seychelles Education, Seychelles Institute of Technology, Maritime Training Centre, Seychelles Agricultural and Horticultural Training Centre and the National Institute for Health and Social Studies.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

The administration launched plans to open a university in an attempt to slow down the brain drain that has occurred. University of Seychelles, initiated in conjunction with the University of London, opened on 17 September 2009 in three locations, and offers qualifications from the University of London.{{cite web|title=afrol News – Seychelles gets its 1st university|url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/36977|access-date=23 July 2021|website=www.afrol.com}}

{{Main|List of Seychellois people}}

• Kevin Betsy, football coach and former professional footballer.
• Sandra Esparon – singer and performer
• Sonia Grandcourt – writer
• Regina Melanie – writer
• Laurence Norah – travel photographer, writer, and blogger
• Jean-Marc Volcy – musician

{{portal|Africa}}

• Outline of Seychelles
• Index of Seychelles-related articles
• Illegal drug trade in Seychelles (highest heroin use per capita in the world)

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Sister project links|Seychelles|voy=Seychelles}}

Government

• [https://www.egov.sc/ SeyGov], main government portal
• [https://www.statehouse.gov.sc/ State House], Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles
• [https://www.cbs.sc/ Central Bank of Seychelles], on-shore banking and insurance regulator
• [https://investinseychelles.com/ Seychelles Investment Bureau], government agency promoting investment in Seychelles
• [https://archive.today/20121225023604/http://www.nsb.gov.sc/ National Bureau of Statistics], government agency responsible for collecting, compiling, analysing and publishing statistical information

Religion

• [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/pvic0.htm GigaCatholic]

Folklore

• [https://www.creolica.net/Corpus-de-creole-seychellois Compilation Books of Seychellois fairy tales] (In Seychellois Creole)
• [https://folklore.unisey.ac.sc/ Seychelles Folklore Archive] by University of Seychelles

General

• [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/seychelles/ Seychelles]. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074904/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/seychelles.htm Seychelles] from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14093816 Seychelles] from BBC News
• {{wikiatlas|Seychelles}}
• [http://www.islandconservationseychelles.com Island Conservation Society], non-profit nature conservation and educational non-governmental organisation
• [http://www.natureseychelles.org Nature Seychelles], scientific/environmental non-governmental nature protection association
• [https://www.nation.sc/ The Seychelles Nation], the largest circulation local daily newspaper
• [https://www.seychellesbirdrecordscommittee.com/ Seychelles Bird Records Committee]
• [http://www.seychelles.travel Seychelles.travel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804141937/http://www.seychelles.travel/ |date=4 August 2021 }}, government tourism portal
• [https://www.vanilla-islands.org/en/the-island/seychelles/ Tourism Page]
• [http://airseychelles.com Air Seychelles], Seychelles national airline
• [http://adst.org/2015/04/seychelles-gangstas-paradise/ ADST interview with U.S. Ambassador to Seychelles David Fischer]

{{Seychelles topics}}

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