The Republic of Seychelles has a multi-party political system with an executive President as head of state and government.  The President heads a Cabinet of 10 ministers which includes the Vice-President.
In April 2004 Mr. James Alix Michel replaced Mr. France Albert René as President after Mr. Rene had been in office since 1977.  The Vice President is currently Mr. Joseph Belmont.  The First Designated Minister is Mr. Danny Faure, who is also the Minister for Finance.
Legislative power is vested in a National Assembly of 34 members of whom 25 are elected directly in constituencies with the balance on proportional basis based on the results of the National Assembly elections.
Parti Lepep, The People’s Party, previously known as the Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF), currently led by President Michel, holds 23 seats in the Assembly.
The main opposition party, the Seychelles National Party (SNP, previously known as the United Opposition) holds the other 11seats.  SNP is headed by Rev. Wavel Ramkalawan.
The other main political party (not currently represented in the National Assembly) is the Democratic Party (DP), headed by Mr. Ralph Volcere.
The Republic of Seychelles is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie.  It has embassies in Paris, New York, Brussels, New Delhi and Beijing as well as numerous honorary consulates worldwide.

People
Today, the 81,000 strong Seychellois population continues to reflect its multi-ethnic roots. Traditionally, the islands have attracted a broad diversity of peoples from the four corners of the earth that has included freed slaves, European settlers, political exiles, adventurers, traders of Arab and Persian origin as well as Chinese and Indians.
Practically every nation on earth has been represented in this melting pot of cultures, each one contributing its special influence to today's vibrant yet tranquil society.

Language
There are three official languages in Seychelles: Creole (a lilting, French-based patois), English and French. Many Seychellois also speak fluent Italian or German.Below are some useful Creole phrases: >>Top

Religion
Roman Catholicism remains the dominant religion of Seychelles but there are also Anglican and Protestant churches and the places of worship of other denominations. These live in harmony alongside, Muslim, Hindu and Bahaï communities based on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

Seychelles Culture

The cosmopolitan Seychellois are a colourful blend of peoples of different races, cultures and religions.  At different times in its history, people of African, European and Asian origin have come to Seychelles, bringing with them their distinct traditions and customs and contributing to the way of life and to the vibrant Seychellois culture.
One can see these influences at work throughout the domains of local art, cuisine, music, dance and architecture.
The architectural design of some of the grand old houses with their steep roofs are representative of a style adapted for comfortable living in the tropics that displays influences from Seychelles’ French and British colonial heritage. Modern architecture attempts to assimilate traditional styles with practical features designed to capture the island breezes.
Local artists continue to exhibit diverse styles that echo the multi-ethnic backdrop of the islands and bear testament to the various influences which have come to bear.  Creole music and dance have their roots in African, Malagasy and European cultures with rhythms traditionally accompanied by simple drums and string instruments which, today, include such recent imports as the violin and guitar.
The traditional moutya is an erotic dance derived from the days of slavery and still features today, together with the sega with its colourful lyrics; the kanmtole, reminiscent of a country reel, and the Kontredanse, an import from the French court.

Architecture

Seychelles’ architecture is at once distinctive in its style and practical in its design. It clearly illustrates the influences of its colonial past and combines these with practical considerations such as steep roofs to shoot the rain, wide verandas to make the most of a climate that encourages outdoor living as well as features to make the most of the island breezes.Traditionally, Seychellois houses featured an outside kitchen so that the racy aromas of the cuisine did not invade the living space.Colonial House - © Chris CloseSeychelles’ colonial past is seen in the competition between wealthy land and plantation owners to create the most opulent approach to their dwelling, often culminating in stately stairs on four sides.Originally, many houses would have been roofed with thatch from the coconut plantations but, for practical and novelty reasons, these gave way to corrugated iron sheeting when that became available.Many of the nation’s smaller houses imitate to a greater or lesser extent these design features with early wooden panelling increasingly giving way to concrete.                                        >>Top

Art
For such a small country, Seychelles has a vibrant art scene that encompasses painters, sculptors, writers and poets, artisans of many types, musicians and dancers. Moutya - © Raymond Sahuquet
Painters have traditionally taken inspiration from the richness of Seychelles’ natural beauty to produce a wide range of works using mediums ranging from water-colours 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.
Local writers and poets have also used the magnificent backdrop of Seychelles as the inspiration for historical accounts, fascinating works documenting the social history of the islands and its people and collections of short stories and poems that evoke the passions of island living.
Throughout Seychelles, there are many artisans producing works of art that are as varied and diverse as their surrounds and which include stained glass, products made from coconut shell, husk, seashells and corals, clothing, gold, silver and other forms of jewellery, recycled materials, fibres, bamboo, metal and pottery.
Music and dance have always played a prominent role in Seychelles culture and in all types of local festivities. Rooted in African, Malagasy and European cultures, music is played to the accompaniment of 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 today’s music.
The lively Sega dance with its elegant hip-swaying and shuffling of the feet is still popular as is the traditional Moutya, a mysterious, erotic dance dating back to the days of slavery when it was often used as an outlet for strong emotions and as a way of expressing discontent.
Kamntole - © Pierre HauhserrKanmtole is a foreign dance import, accompanied by banjos, accordion, violin and triangle and reminiscent of a Scottish reel while the Contredance with its intricate movements has its origins in the French court and is danced to the strains of banjo, triangle and to the instructions of the ‘Komandan’ or Commander who calls the sets.
Several groups of traditional dancers perform at local functions as do modern groups playing jazz, reggae, country & western, hip-hop, ballads and classic rock. Several choirs exist singing traditional hymns and promoting choral music with a repertoire that includes sacred, secular, gospel and folk pieces.
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Cuisine & Recipes
Echoing the grand assortment of people who populate Seychelles, Creole cuisine features the subtleties and nuances of French cooking, the exoticism of Indian dishes and the piquant flavours of the Orient.Grilled fish or octopus basted with a sauce of crushed chillies, ginger and garlic are national favourites as are a variety of delicious curries lovingly prepared with coconut milk and innovative chatinis made from local fruits such as papaya and golden apple. As may be expected, seafood dishes feature predominantly in the local cuisine, appearing alongside the national staple, rice.
Some restaurants specialise in Indian, Chinese or Italian food and many feature popular international and specialist dishes.Coming soon! A selection of recipes that will bring the tastes of Seychelles straight to your kitchen!

Folklore
There are three official languages in Seychelles: Creole (a lilting, French-based patois), English and French. Many Seychellois also speak fluent Italian or German.

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The Island
Seychelles' 115 islands fall under two distinct groups. The tall granite, Inner Islands cluster mainly within the relatively shallow Seychelles' plateau, 4° south of the equator and roughly 1800 km. distant from the east coast of Africa while the low-lying coralline cays, atolls and reef islands of the Outer Islands lie mainly beyond the plateau up to 10° south of the equator.

These Outer Islands are divided into five groups: the Amirantes group lying 230km distant from Mahé, the Southern Coral Group, Alphonse Group, Farquhar Group and finally the Aldabra Group, some 1150km from Mahé.

There are 43 Inner Islands in all -- 41 granitic and 2 coralline and a total of 72 coralline Outer Islands.

Inner Islands

The Inner Islands which are mostly granitic, cluster mainly around the principal islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, forming the cultural and economic hub of Seychelles, as well as the centre of its tourism industry.Together they are home to the majority of Seychelles’ accommodation facilities as well almost the entire population of the archipelago.  There are 43 Inner islands in total – 41 granitic and 2 coralline.

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