About Seychelles

Full name Republic of Seychelles. Capital City Victoria Language English, French and Creole. Currency English, French and Creole. Religion Catholic, Anglican, Hindu and Muslim. National Anthem Seychelles Rupee. Newspaper "Koste Seselwa" meaning 'Come Together Seychellois'. Places to Visit Aldabra Atoll, Anse Lazio, Victoria, Aldabra Atoll, Anse Lazio, Cousin Island, La Digue and Vallee de Mai. Transport Airways: flights are available from Australia, Africa, Mauritius and London; Waterways: cruises are available through Victoria, but no direct facilities are available. Shopping hand-dyed pareros, painted sculptures, wall plaques of fish, key rings, letter racks, painted coconuts, batik, baskets, table-mats and hats, traditional furniture, wood ornaments, model boats, pottery and green snail shell jewelry. Vanilla and cinnamon are also things that you will get for a reduced price.

Introduction The Republic of Seychelles is an archipelago comprising of some 116 islands.

Positioned in the Indian Ocean off the African continent mainland, it finally attained liberty from British dominion in the year 1976.
however, it was not alien to war and custody before the British took over either, as the countries of France and Britain indulged in quite a tussle for the possession of the islands which ended in the year 1814. Even despite being an independent nation, the island country was unable to conduct elections before 1993 due to the Socialist rule.

Location of Seychelles
the archipelago of the Seychelles islands is located within the domain of the African continent. However, they are positioned off the mainland of the continent in the Indian Ocean, with the country of Madagascar lying southwest of it.

Physical Map of Seychelles
the Seychelles comprise of some 115 or more islands and atolls in total. Of them, 41 are granatic in origin; while another 75 are coral in origin. The terrain of most of the islands is hilly with coasts bordering them. Some are also flat and rocky. The coastal regions are narrow and the reefs are elevated.

Flag of Seychelles
the flag of the island republic of Seychelles is rectangular and is dominated by five colors blue, yellow, red, white and green (in priority of arrangement from left to right). The colors white and green belong to the Seychelles Peoples United Party or the SPUP; while the colors blue and yellow belong to Seychelles's Democratic Party.

Climate of Seychelles
the Seychelles have a humid, marine and tropical type of climate. The island country has two rainy spells in the year. One occurs between the months of late-May and September, while the other occurs between the months of March and early-May. The sweltering temperatures of the islands are toned down by the trade winds that blow during the months from October and April, and again between the months of May to September. And though the average humidity of the country reaches to a soaring 80%, these dry northwest and southeast trade winds temper it to make the islands pleasant and habitable.


Flora and Fauna of Seychelles

Flora: the plants on the island are mostly of the flowering variety. Trees include cinnamon, coconuts, avocado, patchouli, breadfruit, papaya, banana, mango and pineapple.

Fauna: the fauna on the islands come in a lot of varieties too. The turtles and tortoises of the island are very famous. Giant tortoises and marine turtles like the hawksbill and green turtle, Seychelles green gecko and pygmy piping frogs are some of the island's chief fauna. The avian life in the Seychelles are made up of birds like blue pigeon, Seychelles white eye, black paradise flycatcher, magpie-robin, Seychelles sunbird, black parrot and bulbul. There is however, a plethora of marine life around the islands. Clownfish, moray eels, angelfish, parrotfish and puffer fish are a few of the names that can by seen cavorting in the waters around the island.

People of Seychelles
the citizens of Seychelles are called Seychellois. The ethnic races present in the Seychelles are mainly African in origin; however, there are considerable numbers of French, Chinese, Indians and Arabs.

Arts, Culture and Music of Seychelles
Art: art forms in the Seychelles islands are mostly traditional in nature. They mainly comprise of textile works like batik; weaving baskets mats and hats; wood crafts such as boats, jewellery and furniture; pottery and traditional paintings. Fashioning jewellery out of sea shells is also a traditional craft.

Culture: the Seychelles have no indigenous tradition. What they have is an import from several ethnicities. So, Seychelles has a multiple cultural tradition. Though predominantly African, the culture of the islands also have plenty of Indian, British, French, Mauritian and Polynesian traits. The "Moutia" dance of the islands basically reflects this essence. .

Music: the Seychellois are a multi-ethnic race. So you can find European genres like English contredanse, French folk, Mauritian Sega, polka, mazurka and pop; and also pan-African genres like rëunion, taarab and soukous. Aside of these there is also rampant use of Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian musical traits. Two of the chief forms of folk music are the "Contombley" and the "Montea". While the former is drum-based, the latter is rhythm and music based.


Economy of Seychelles
the tourism industry is the chief economic resource in the island republic and also the chief source of employment. The other major industries include cottage-industries, farming and fishing; along with the industries that result from them like processing of coconuts; coir and rope making and processing vanilla. Agricultural produces includes coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla and sweet potatoes. So export commodities of the country are canned and frozen fish, cinnamon, vanilla and copra.