 |
Population
79,326 (all population figures are July 2000 estimates).
171.7 persons per square km (446.4 per square mile).
Growth rate
0.49%
Birth rate
17.00 births/1,000 population
Death rate
6.74 deaths/1,000 population
Origins
The Seychellois are primarily of African, French, Indian, Chinese and Arab descent. There are small minorities of Europeans, Indians and Chinese.
Education
14% of government spending is on education.
30% of the population (22,065 people) are students
Education is free and mandatory through age 15 (9th grade). Classes are in Creole through the 3rd grade when English is added; French is added in the 6th grade. At age 15, enrollment in the National Youth Service is optional but required to gain admittance to Seychelles Polytechnic or to become employed. Polytechnic provides 1 to 3 year courses including some in service training. Higher education is obtained outside the country.
Health
Government provided health services are free. Clinics around the country provide general care, dental and other services but there also are private physicians. Overall health trends are improving; there is no yellow fever, bilharzias or malaria and tuberculosis and leprosy are minimal
Religion
There are no restrictions on religion.
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%.
Others include Seventh Day Adventists, Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahai Faith, Muslims and Hindus.
Passports
Everyone traveling to Seychelles must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of travel.
Visas
Visas are not required. A Visitor's Permit, good for 4 weeks, is issued upon arrival at the airport. Travelers must have a return (or onward) air ticket, prebooked accommodations and sufficient money for their stay. If not, visitors may be required to post a security bond. The Permit may be renewed for 3 months at no cost and for 3 additional 3 month periods at a fee of USD 60.00
Customs
Arriving passengers may import 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g tobacco; 1 liter of spirits or wine; 125 ml perfume or 250 ml toilet water; and other normally dutiable goods worth up to 1000 Seychelles rupees.
Currency Exchange
Banks are available for all arriving flights in the airport for currency exchange.
Departure Tax
Everyone over 12 years old must pay a US$40 departure tax when leaving the country. The tax may be purchased at any bank and can be purchased before arrival at the airport or at a bank in the airport.
Currency
The unit of currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SR) which is divided into 100 cents.
Credit Cards
Visa and American Express are widely accepted except in some of the smaller lodging establishments. MasterCard, Diners Club and several other minor cards are accepted in fewer places.
Travelers Checks
Travelers checks are also widely accepted, particularly at hotels, shops and restaurants. Checks issued in US dollars and British pounds are preferred and less likely to incur additional exchange fees.
Duty Free
The allowance for personal effects that a person can bring into the country has been increased to SCR3,000 (about US$550) and allowances for spirits and cigarettes have been doubled to two liters and two cartons respectively.
Currency Exchange
Banks and most hotels will exchange currency. Several banks are located outside the arrivals area at the International Airport and are open to meet all incoming and departing flights. There are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign currency. A maximum of 1000 Seychelles rupees may be exported. Foreign currency and rupees can be freely exchanged at hotels and banks. Rupees can not be used by visitors for business transactions such as car rental, restaurants, excursions and so on; all such must be paid for in hard currency such as dollars, pounds, francs or marks. We recommend exchanging a moderate amount of money at the airport upon arrival.
Banks
In general, banks are open 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM Monday to Friday and 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM on Saturday. Several banks are located outside the arrivals area at the International Airport and are open to meet all incoming and departing flights.
Time
GMT + 4. Four hours ahead of London. Nine hours ahead of New York (EST). Daylight savings time is not observed.
Language
Creole, English and French are spoken widely. Any of these will suffice at the major hotels, attractions, shops, banks, etc. Some members of the travel industry speak German and Italian. Translation services when in the country are available.
Tipping
Most charges (restaurant, hotel, taxis, porters, etc) already include a 5% to 10% service charge or "tip." Additional tipping is not expected but some people round up to the next convenient amount, especially when paying by cash.
Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz.
British style 3-pin plugs are used.
Post Office
Stamps are available at hotels; letters may be mailed there as well. The Central Post Office is in Victoria and open 8 AM to 4 PM Monday to Friday and 8 AM to 12 PM (noon) Saturdays.
Telephone
Direct dialing to most countries is available at most hotels. If there are no phones in rooms, hotels have public phones. The country code for Seychelles is 248. Modular jacks are of the US RJ-11 4 wire type.
GSM
There are two GSM network operators in Seychelles: Airtel (Telecom) and Cable & Wireless. Both networks are GSM 900. As of this writing, only C&W has any roaming agreements, and only with BT Cellnet in the United Kingdom.
However, both offer prepaid services; for a small charge (about USD 40) you can get a GSM card and make international calls to any country, anytime for about USD 1.50 per minute.
Internet Access
There are several internet cafes on Mahe and at least one is scheduled to open on Praslin. Most of the larger hotels have arrangements for visitors to obtain a temporary guest account.
Business Hours
General business hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM (noon) and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Clothing
Light clothes are advisable because of the tropical climate. For women, light cotton dresses, slacks and shorts and pareos for the day and a long skirt or cool dress for evenings. Men are most comfortable in light weight slacks and shorts and open neck shirts. For business, safari suits are acceptable and ties are not worn except to church. Sandals or light canvas shoes are adequate. Swimwear is not worn except on the beaches.
Trip Insurance
Because of the remote nature of Seychelles, and the even more remote location of most of the islands, we strongly recommend all visitors obtain Trip Insurance which includes Emergency Evacuation coverage. Evacuation (even to the hospital at Victoria) in the event of illness or injury is expensive and will not be provided unless a means of payment is obtained in advance. Information on an excellent policy is available here.
(Interestingly, the day before this page was written, a client required evacuation from Denis Island because of a possible kidney problem. A helicopter evacuation was ordered at a cost in excess of US$2000.)
Water
The public water supply is chlorinated and normally safe. However, as it is different it may cause mild gastrointestinal upset. Visitors are advised to drink bottled water but there is no imperative to avoid soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and ice.
Food
All foods normally obtained at hotels, including milk and dairy products, are generally considered safe to eat. Care should be taken, as in all countries, when consuming items from street vendors.
History
In a Nutshell . . .
Discovered for the first time on 1502 by a navigator who didn’t give them a name. The Portuguese called them later the "Seven Sisters." In 1756, Seychelles became a French colony under the name of Séchelles, named for Moreau of Séchelles, Minister of Finance under the kingdom of Louis XV. During the XIX century, the English gave them the name of Seychelles. Seychelles remained an English colony from 1903 until 1976, when the archipelago gained independence, becoming the Republic of Seychelles.
(photo of lithograph courtesy of Michael Adams)
..And More
The Arabs, Phoenicians, Indonesians, Portuguese, English and French all played a part in creating this unique island nation which today is enjoyed by fortunate travelers from all over the world.
Very likely these islands were first spotted by Arab traders as much as 1000 years ago. Their location would make them an ideal provisioning stop for early seafaring peoples like the Arabs, Phoenicians and Indonesians. Almost 500 years ago Vasco de Gama, the Portuguese explorer/navigator, is credited with the official discovery. Part of the island, group, the Amirantes (islands of the Admiral) is named in his honor. A Portuguese map of 1544 shows the islands as the Seven Sisters; Petite Soeur and Grande Soeur retain these names today.
The British landed there in 1609 on an expedition for the East India Company. For the next 133 years they became a provisioning base for the merchant navy as well as for plundering Indian Ocean pirates and buccaneers. To this day there are still stories of fabulous treasures hidden on Mahe.
The French expedition led by Lazare Picault to Mahe in 1742 gave Baie Lazare its name and in 1756 the islands were formally claimed on behalf of Louis XV of France. The Stone of Possession, now in the national museum, was laid and the islands were officially named in honor of Jean Moreau de Sechelles, French Minister of Finance. French colonization and agricultural settlement of the fertile soil and favorable climate continued uninterrupted until the end of the century.
During the Napoleonic War period Seychelles were regarded as a strategic acquisition as the British fought to contain French expansion. The French were forced to give up the islands, yet without a permanently stationed British force, control changed seven times in 13 years. The 1814 Treaty of Paris confirmed British rule.
Throughout the 19th century the population increased as Seychelles first produced high quality cotton, then harvested whales from local waters and finally began the large coconut plantations which became the economy's mainstay. Plantation labor was drawn from former slaves freed in 1835 when the institution was abolished. By the end of the century export of guano improved the island economy and in 1903 Seychelles became a separate Crown Colony.
After the two World Wars Seychelles saw rapid change as modern conveniences and communications were introduced. At the 1971 opening of its airport, the landing of the BOAC VC-10 was witnessed by virtually the entire population. Improved accessibility brought tourism. On June 29, 1976 Seychelles became an independent republic and gradually evolved a multi-party democracy. Under government stability tourism flourished and the economy boomed.
Tourism
‘Unique by a thousand miles!’
Today Seychelles is sound, safe and very scenic...46% of its total area has been designated as Nature Reserve or Parks to preserve the reason tourists visit -- its incredible natural beauty.
Seychelles has all the natural attributes of a dreamlike and beautiful tropical paradise that is unique by a thousand miles. The success of the islands’ tourism industry thrives on crystal clear waters, coral reefs, rain forests, cultural diversity and exotic flora and fauna that includes the world’s most suggestive fruit, the coco de mer nut.
Tourism in the Seychelles really took off in the early 70s when the international airport was opened. From the first jet arrival, the Seychellois people became wary of their islands’ fragile beauty. They opted for environment conservation and quality tourism, saying no to mass travel.
Now the Seychellois people, who have been true friends to their environment are turning more to their natural treasures to attract the discerning traveller to a mid-ocean destination that is "as pure as it gets."
Exciting things are happening in tourism in Seychelles today. Tourism is the motor that is pulling direct foreign investment into the country, introducing a new line of five-star hotels and opening up other islands to high-quality holiday resorts.
Seychelles has decided it wants to remain different, that is finding the perfect combination of natural beauty, service perfection, tranquillity and peace of mind that the discerning traveller seeks.
The Seychelles are used to superlatives describing how romantic, exclusive, un-crowded and environmentally unspoilt the islands are to visitors. Now, when eco-tourism is fashionable, the islands also want to impress visitors with the things they do not have. In Seychelles, there are no high-rise holiday apartments, no crowded beaches, no serious social or economic problems, no pollution. |
|
