User:Graham Harris/Seychelles
The Republic of Seychelles is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. The archipelago lies northeast of Madagascar and 1,000 miles east of Kenya. Its population 80,000, the smallest of any sovereign African nation, With most people of French and East African ancestry.
History
The Seychelles were first mapped by Portuguese explorers in 1505. In 1609 the British East India Company landed on the islands and found them uninhabited.
Lazare Picault explored the islands in 1742, and the Séchelles were annexed by France in 1756. After a lengthy struggle with Britain, possetion of the islands was ceded by France in 1814.
find sources for
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- Description of French colony during this time, when was it set up, what did it do.
- Dependancy on Mauritius until 1904, both Mauritius and Seychelles passed from French to British
- History of ethnic groups brought to the islands as slaves and laborors
- French and East African ancestry
- Indian, Chinese, and Arab
- End of slavery switched economy from plantaions to other
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Initially uninhabited when discovered by western explorers. On Portuguese maps by 1505.
- 1505 on Portuguese maps
- 1609 landed on by the British East India Company
- 1742 explored by Lazare Picault
- 1756 Séchelles annexed by France
- 1810 surrender to British by France
- 1814 Treaty of Paris, ceded to Great Britain, now Seychelles
- ~1830 abolition of slavery
- 1888 beginnings of self rule, executive and administrative councils set up
- 1903 a British crown colony
- 1948 a Legislative Council was created
- 1970 new constitution
- 1975 self-government, James R. Mancham first president, France-Albert René prime minister
- 1976 independance within the Commonwealth
- 1977 France-Albert René became president in a coup d'état
- 1979 became a one-party socialist state, Seychelles People's Progressive Front (FPPS)
- 1993 new constitution and free elections
- 2004 France-Albert René, in power since 1977, steps down. James Michel steps up [1]
Geography
Located at 5°S 50°E, the Seychelles are a group of about 150 tropical islands spread over 1,200 Km from northeast to southwest. Together, they make up 444 square kilometers of land. Mahé is the main island and location of the capitol city Vicoria. Within about 90 KM of Mahé are some 40 other islands with similiar granit and hilly geograhy. Average rainfall on Mahé is 2,880 mm at sea level and 3,550 on its slopes. A second group of islands make up the rest of the archepeligo, these are flat and corillian with no fresh water.
Climate
Flora and Fauna
Tropical and lush, with little yearly temperature variation.
People
Native toung Kreol (Seychellois Creole), but English is the official language (ref CIA)
Government
Current presedent James Michel.
Economy
Exports: Fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports)(BBC)
Culture
Military
Transportation
References
Links
- ↑ CIA