|RNature and climate:|N More than 90 widely scattered islands in the Indian Ocean. The four largest islands are high and mountainous and the rest low coral islands.
Highest peak reaching 906 m.a.s.l., is on the main island, Mahé.
Originally all islands were forested but since the forests have been devastated the vegetation is steppe-like.
The forestdevastation has also extinguished many species of bird.
Climate is tropical with an average temperature between 25 and 29°C all year.
Percipitation 2300 mm.
|RPeople:|N Different kinds of mulattos.
|REconomy:|N Plantations traditionally have been the most important industry, but in the last decades tourism have taken the leading role.
Agriculture mainly produces for export, crops like coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla and tea. For domestic consumption sweet potatoes, cassava, sugarcanes and bananas, but Seychelles depend on food import.
Fishing have increased considerably in the last decades and today give the largest export revenues.
Manufacturing is aimed at processing fish and food for export.
|RHistory:|N The archipelago was probably discovered and colonized by Arabs in the 9th century AD. It was not known in Europe until Portuguese sailors reached it in the 16th century.
Seychelles became a French colony 1756 and was conquered by the British in 1794.
Soon after World War II a locally elected parliament declared that it would not be practical for the Seychelles to become an independent country. So it stayed a British colony until 1976.
The first president was ousted in a socialist coup 1977 and the Seychelles has since then been a one-party-state.
1992 a committee was set up to prepare for democracy.
