REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES Official name: Republic of Seychelles Location: Indian Ocean International organisations: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, The African Union, The Non-Aligned Movement, The United Nations Borders: None Coastline: Indian Ocean Land area: 455 Km2 Population: 80,000 Ethnicity: The people of the Seychelles are of mixed French, African, Indian and Arab descent. Languages: French and English are the official languages. English is the language of government, business and the media. Religion: Most of the popuation are Catholic Christians. Form of government: Presidential democratic republic. Sechelles is divided into 27 districts. Capital: Victoria

Constitution: The Constitution of Seychelles came into effect on 18 June 1993.
Head of state: The President, elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term.
Head of government: The President, who appoints all ministers.
Legislature: Seychelles has a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly / Assemblee Nationale, which has 34 members: 25 are elected from single-member constituencies and nine by proportional representation.
Electoral authority: None known
Freedom House rating: Political Rights 3, Civil Liberties 3

Political history

The Seychelles were discovered by the Portuguese in about 1500, and were claimed by France in 1756. The French administered the islands from Mauritius, and when Mauritius passed to the British in 1814, so did the Seychelles. They did not become a separate British Crown Colony until 1903. Internal self-government was granted in 1970 and full independence followed in June 1976. The first President, Sir James Mancham, was overthrown by a coup in June 1977, and France-Albert René then put himself at the head of a one-party socialist regime which lasted until 1993, when René allowed a new democratic constitution and free elections. He continued in office until his retirement in 2004 and was succeeded by James Michel.

René's socialist party, the Progressive Front of the Seychelles People (FPPS), continues to dominate Seychelles politics. Opposition comes from two non-socialist parties, the Seychelles National Party and the Democratic Party.