Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Victoria
Administrative divisions:
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka
Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution:
18 June 1993
Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
2006)
election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of
vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
elections
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June
1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
percentage that each party won of the total vote
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel
RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France
Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles
Flag description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side