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	{{Africa}}		{{Africa}}
	{{Commonwealth nations}}~~{{authority control}}~~		{{Commonwealth nations}}[[Category:Seychelles\| ]]
	[[Category:Seychelles\| ]]
	[[Category:English-speaking countries]]		[[Category:English-speaking countries]]
	[[Category:French-speaking countries]]		[[Category:French-speaking countries]]

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{{Infobox country
|native_name = ''Repiblik Sesel République des Seychelles''
|conventional_long_name = Republic of Seychelles
|common_name = Seychelles
|image_flag = Flag_of_the_Seychelles.svg
|image_coat = Coat of Arms of the Republic of Seychelles.svg
|length = 1976-present
|image_map = LocationSeychelles.png
|national_motto = "Finis Coronat Opus"{{nbsp|2}}([[Latin language|Latin]]) "The End Crowns the Work"
|national_anthem = ''[[Koste Seselwa]]'' ''"Join together all Seychellois"''
|official_languages = <nowiki></nowiki>
*[[French language|French]]
*[[English language|English]]
*[[Seychellois Creole]]
|languages_type = [[Vernacular language]]
|languages = [[Seychellois Creole]]
|demonym = Seychellois, Seychelloise, Seselwa (Creole)
|capital = [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]
|latd=4 |latm=37 |latNS=S |longd=55 |longm=27 |longEW=E
|largest_city = [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]
|government_type = [[Republic]]
|leader_title1 = [[President of Seychelles|President]]
|leader_name1 = [[Wavel Ramkalawan]]
|leader_title2 = [[Vice President of Seychelles|Vice President]]
|leader_name2 = [[Ahmed Afif]]
|area_rank = 197th
|area_magnitude = 1 E+8
|area_km2 = 451
|area_sq_mi = 174
|percent_water = negligible
|population_estimate = 84,000<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf | title=World Population Prospects, Table A.1| version=2008 revision | format=.PDF | publisher=United Nations | author=Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division | year=2009 | accessdate= 4 February 2012}}</ref>
|population_estimate_rank = 195th
|population_estimate_year = 2009
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density_km2 = 186.2
|population_density_sq_mi = 482.7
|population_density_rank = 60th
|GDP_PPP = $2.129 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=718&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=53&pr.y=7 |title=Seychelles|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=4 February 2012}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_rank = 164th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2010
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $24,837<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 37th
|GDP_nominal = $919 million<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_rank = 168th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2010
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $10,714<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 53rd
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|established_event1 = {{nowrap|from the [[United Kingdom]]}}
|established_date1 = 29 June 1976
|HDI = 0.773
|HDI_change = increase
|HDI_ref =
|HDI_rank = 57th
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI_category = high
|currency = [[Seychellois rupee]]
|currency_code = SCR
|country_code =
|time_zone = [[Seychelles Time|SCT]]
|utc_offset = +4
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST = +4
|drives_on = left
|cctld = [[.sc]]
|calling_code = 248
|footnotes =
}}

'''Seychelles''' is an [[Africa]]n [[country]] in the [[Indian Ocean]]. Its [[capital city]] is [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]. The official [[language]]s are [[Creole]], [[English language|English]], and [[French language|French]]. It is a [[republic]] is made up of 115 [[island]]s.

Seychelles and the islands to the south, [[Madagascar]] and [[Mauritius]], all had legal [[slavery]] and were part of the [[slave trade]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YXTaAAAAMAAJ|title=The History of Slavery in Mauritius and the Seychelles, 1810-1875|last=Nwulia|first=Moses D. E.|date=1981|publisher=Fairleigh Dickenson University Press|isbn=978-0-8386-2398-5|language=en}}</ref> Most of the people are descendants of freed slaves, who make up about 90% of the population. Many of them also are descended from slave owners who abused their ancestors.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Slavery in Seychelles|url=http://www.sna.gov.sc/slavery-in-seychelles-.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219091001/http://www.sna.gov.sc/slavery-in-seychelles-.aspx|archive-date=2020-02-19|access-date=2020-11-22|website=The Seychelles National Archive}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> There are small minorities of immigrants from [[Europe]], [[China]] and India. Most people are Roman [[Catholic]]s, about 90% of them. About 8% are [[Protestant]]s.

Other nearby island countries and territories include [[Zanzibar]] to the west, [[Mauritius]], [[Rodrigues]], [[Agalega]] and [[Réunion]] to the south, and [[Comoros]] and [[Mayotte]] to the southwest. Seychelles has an estimated population of 86,525. It is the smallest population of any African state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goafrica.about.com/od/africatraveltips/a/africafacts.htm |title=Geoafrica.about.com |publisher=Goafrica.about.com |date=9 July 2011 |accessdate=23 March 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304125223/http://goafrica.about.com/od/africatraveltips/a/africafacts.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== History ==
It is thought that Arab sailors first saw the islands in the 7th century. Portuguese explorer [[Vasco da Gama]] discovered the islands in 1502, and called them Three Brothers ({{Lang-pt|Tres Irmãos}}), but he did not visit the islands. The [[British East India Company]] visited the islands, but they did not [[Settler|settle]] there.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History - Seychelles - import, system, power|url=https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Seychelles-HISTORY.html|access-date=2021-07-23|website=www.nationsencyclopedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Seychelles History {{!}} Timeline of the Seychelles {{!}} Seychelles Travel Guide|url=https://www.seyvillas.com/en/guide/at-a-glance/history|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Seyvillas.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Geography==
Seychelles is to the northeast of [[Madagascar]] and about {{convert|1600|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} east of [[Kenya]]. The number of islands in the [[archipelago]] is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155.

According to the president of [[Nauru]], the Seychelles has been ranked the ninth most endangered nation due to flooding from [[climate change]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BUE/is_5-6_144/ai_n58473630 | work=New York Times Upfront | title=A sinking feeling: why is the president of the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru so concerned about climate change? | year=2011 | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120710151207/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BUE/is_5-6_144/ai_n58473630/ | archivedate=2012-07-10 | access-date=2012-09-30 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Some of the districts in Seychelles include: [[Anse Boileau]], [[Takamaka, Seychelles|Takamaka]] and [[Cote D’Or]].

== Subdivisions ==
[[File:Victoria (Seychelles).jpg|thumb|left|Victoria is the capital of the Seychelles]]
Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions. Eight of the districts make up the [[Capital (political)|capital]] of Seychelles. They are called Greater [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]. Another 14 districts are considered the rural part of the main island of [[Mahé, Seychelles|Mahé]]. There are two districts on [[Praslin]] and one on [[La Digue]] which also include satellite islands. The rest of the [[Outer Islands (Seychelles)|Outer Islands]] are not considered part of any district.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
;Mahé
*[[Bel Air, Seychelles|Bel Air]]
*[[La Rivière Anglaise]] (''English River'')
*[[Les Mamelles]]
*[[Mont Buxton]]
*[[Mont Fleuri]]
*[[Plaisance, Seychelles|Plaisance]]
*[[Roche Caiman]]
*[[Saint Louis, Seychelles|Saint Louis]]
*[[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]
{{col-3}}
*[[Anse aux Pins]]
*[[Anse Boileau]]
*[[Anse Etoile]]
*[[Au Cap]]
*[[Anse Royale]]
*[[Baie Lazare]]
*[[Beau Vallon, Seychelles|Beau Vallon]]
*[[Bel Ombre, Seychelles|Bel Ombre]]
*[[Cascade, Seychelles|Cascade]]
*[[Glacis, Seychelles|Glacis]]
*[[Grand'Anse Mahé]]
*[[Pointe La Rue]]
*[[Port Glaud]]
*[[Takamaka, Seychelles|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}}

== Economy ==
During the plantation era, [[cinnamon]], [[vanilla]], and [[copra]] were the main [[export]]s. In the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, and 20% worked in the public or government sector. In 1971, with the opening of [[Seychelles International Airport]], tourism became a serious industry.

== Flora and fauna ==
Like many fragile island ecosystems, the Seychelles had loss of [[biodiversity]] during early human history. This included the disappearance of most of the [[giant tortoise]]s from the [[granite|granitic]] islands. There was also the [[extinction]] of species such as the [[Seychelles Chestnut-flanked White-eye|chestnut flanked white eye]], the [[Seychelles Parakeet]], the [[Seychelles Black Terrapin]] and the [[saltwater crocodile]]. However, extinctions were far fewer than on islands such as [[Mauritius]] or [[Hawaii]]. This was partly due to a shorter period of human occupation being only since 1770. The 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 granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 [[endemic]] plant species. There are a further 25 or so species in the [[Aldabra]] group. Particularly well-known is the [[Coco de Mer]], a species of palm that grows only on the islands of [[Praslin]] and neighbouring [[Curieuse]]. The [[jellyfish tree]] is to be found in only a few locations on [[Mahe]]. This strange and ancient plant is in a [[genus]] of its own (Medusagynaceae). Other unique plant species include the Wright's Gardenia ''[[Rothmannia annae]]'' found only on [[Aride Island|Aride]] Island Special Reserve.

The [[freshwater crab]] genus ''[[Seychellum]]'' is endemic to the granitic Seychelles. There are a further 26 species of [[crab]]s and 5 species of [[hermit crab]]s that live on the islands.<ref name="Haig">{{cite book |author=Janet 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 Science+Business Media|Springer]] |isbn=978-90-6193-107-2 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAu6qogRHloC&pg=PA123}}</ref>

[[Image:Seychelles giant tortoise.jpg|thumb|left|Giant Tortoise (''[[Dipsochelys hololissa]]'')|upright]]
The [[Aldabra Giant Tortoise]] now lives on many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in [[captive]] herds.

There are several unique varieties of orchids on the Islands.

The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1,000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of [[speargun]]s and [[dynamite]] for fishing was banned in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of [[Snorkeling|snorkelers]] and [[Scuba diving|divers]]. [[Coral bleaching]] in 1998 has damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery.

The main natural resources of the Seychelles are fish, [[copra]], [[cinnamon]], [[coconut]]s, salt and iron.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Other websites==
{{sisterlinks|commonscat=yes}}
* [http://www.picstropical.com/seychelles Pictures of Seychelles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719000107/http://www.picstropical.com/seychelles/ |date=2011-07-19 }}

{{Africa}}
{{Commonwealth nations}}{{authority control}}
[[Category:Seychelles| ]]
[[Category:English-speaking countries]]
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[[Category:Gondwana]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:Commonwealth member states]]

Seychelles - Revision history

Maintenance script: Removed {{Authority control}} template (Wikibase not installed)

imported>Lights and freedom: added Category:Commonwealth member states using HotCat