Republic of Seychelles

Part of the world series of articles

The Republic of Seychelles is a country in the west Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and Kenya, comprising about 115 islands. The country consists of two main island groups, characterised by lush tropical vegetation and pristine white beaches. Its people are mostly descendants of French colonists and black slaves, and centuries of intermarriage means most are of mixed descent. There are also significant minority populations of Chinese, Indians and Malays.

Although Seychelles is a one-party socialist state, lead by the Seychelles People’s United Party, it maintains a non-aligned foreign policy and receives tourists from all over the world. It has close political and economic links with Vekllei, as well other Indian Ocean states including the Maldives and East India. It is a member of the Community of Oceans.

Seychellois people enjoy a high standard of living, with publicly-funded healthcare and education, and easy employment in a rapidly growing economy. The Seychelles economy is dominated by tourism, service industries and light manufacturing, particularly of soft drinks and alcohol.