The Seychelles is a country made up of 115 islands lying 1500 kilometres (932 miles) off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean. Some of the islands are volcanic and have rocky, forested landscapes, while others are coral atolls, ringed with white sand beaches. Many are uninhabited and some have been made into nature reserves. The Seychelles have a tropical climate; between May and November they are cooled by southeasterly trade winds. For the rest of the year, the weather is hot and humid.

People

People from the Seychelles are known as Seychellois. They are descended from the diverse mixture of peoples who settled on the islands after the 18th century, or were brought to work on spice plantations as slaves. Today, most Seychellois are a mix of African, French, Indian and Chinese ancestry. Many people work in tourism, or as farmers, growing cash crops such as vanilla, coconuts and cinnamon. They also grow sweet potatoes and catch fish for themselves and their families.

Tuna

The Seychelles’ most important industry after tourism is tuna fishing. The largest fishing boats catch tuna by laying long baited lines, which run for kilometres under the ocean. On smaller boats, fishermen catch tuna using a pole and line from the side of the boat. The catch is processed and canned in factories on the island: about 350 tonnes of tuna is processed every day. The Seychelles also earns money when foreign companies pay licence fees to fish in the islands’ waters.

Facts about the Seychelles

Population 121,355 (2024 estimate)

Area 455 sq km

Highest point Morne Seychellois 905 m (2969 ft)

Capital Victoria, population 26,000

Other major cities Anse Boileau (pop. 4183)

Languages Seychellois Creole, English, French

Religions Christian 75%, Hindu 5%, Muslim 2%, others or not known 18%

Ethnicity mixed French, Indian, African, Arab, Chinese

Currency Seychellois rupee (SCR)

Chief exports canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra