Seychelles

Seychelles, formally the Republic of Seychelles, is an archipelagic country of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean near the Somali Sea’s eastern coast. Victoria, its capital and largest city, is located 1,500 kilometers east of mainland Africa. It is the least populated sovereign African country, with an anticipated 2020 population of 98,462. Since declaring independence from the United Kingdom in 1976, it has progressed from a predominantly agrarian culture to a market-based, diverse economy typified by fast expanding service, public sector, and tourism industries. Seychelles now has the greatest nominal per capita GDP of any African country. After Mauritius, it has the highest Human Development Index of any African country. The World Bank presently classifies it as the sole African country with a high-income economy. Seychellois culture and society are an eclectic combination of French, British, and African influences, with more modern Chinese and Indian infusions.