Seychelles — books & literature

The story of Seychelles

The Seychelles archipelago of about 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean had no permanent inhabitants until European contact. The first recorded landing was made in 1609 by an expedition of the British East India Company. French navigator Lazare Picault charted the islands in 1742 and 1744, and France formally annexed them in 1756, naming them after finance minister Jean Moreau de Séchelles. The first French settlers, along with enslaved Africans, arrived from 1770. Britain seized the islands during the Napoleonic wars, and France formally ceded them under the 1814 Treaty of Paris. Seychelles became a separate British Crown Colony in 1903, having previously been governed from Mauritius. Independence came on 29 June 1976, followed a year later by a coup that installed one-party rule under France-Albert René until multiparty democracy was restored in 1993. Today Seychelles blends African, French, British, Indian, and Chinese heritage into a distinct Creole culture, and holds the highest nominal GDP per capita of any African nation.

Timeline — key moments

1. 1609

   First recorded landing on the uninhabited islands, by a British East India Company expedition.

2. 1742-1744

   French navigator Lazare Picault charts the islands for the French crown.

3. 1756

   France formally annexes the islands, naming them after Jean Moreau de Séchelles.

4. 1770

   First French settlers and enslaved Africans arrive on Mahé.

5. 1814

   Treaty of Paris formally cedes the islands to Britain.

6. 1903

   Seychelles becomes a separate British Crown Colony, no longer administered from Mauritius.

7. 1976

   Independence from the United Kingdom (29 June); James Mancham becomes first president.

8. 1977

   Coup d’état brings France-Albert René to power, beginning one-party rule.

9. 1993

   New constitution restores multiparty democracy.

10. 2020

    Wavel Ramkalawan is elected president, the first opposition candidate to win.

Top 10 things to know about Seychelles

1. Seychelles comprises about 115 islands scattered across the western Indian Ocean.
2. It is the smallest country in Africa by both population and land area.
3. Seychelles has the highest nominal GDP per capita of any African country.
4. It is one of the very few countries with a currency that is fully independent , not pegged, shared, or a foreign adoption.
5. The Vallée de Mai on Praslin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the coco de mer, which produces the largest seed of any plant.
6. Aldabra Atoll, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hosts one of the world’s largest populations of giant tortoises.
7. Seychellois Creole is the mother tongue of over 99% of the population, alongside English and French.
8. The islands were uninhabited before European contact , there is no indigenous population.
9. Seychelles has committed to protecting roughly 30% of its ocean territory, a global marine-conservation benchmark.
10. Séga, a rhythmic music and dance style with African-French roots, is central to Seychellois cultural life.

Famous people from Seychelles

Say it in Seychelles's language

Did you know?

• ★Seychelles is the smallest country in the world with a completely independent currency , not pegged to another currency, shared in a monetary union, or a foreign adoption.
• ★The coco de mer palm, found almost exclusively in the Vallée de Mai on Praslin, produces the largest and heaviest seed in the entire plant kingdom.
• ★Aldabra Atoll is home to more giant tortoises than the Galápagos Islands.

Seychelles culture

• Séga music and dance, blending African rhythm with French melody, is the heartbeat of Seychellois celebration.
• Creole cuisine centres on grilled fish, coconut, chili, and rice, reflecting the islands’ African, French, and Indian influences.
• Festival Kreol each October celebrates Creole language, food, music, and art across the islands.
• Roman Catholicism is the majority faith, often blended with local Creole tradition and belief.

Why read Seychelles's books

Seychellois literature is young but distinctive, carried mostly in Seychellois Creole and shaped by writers who turned oral folklore and island life into the country's first written canon. Reading Seychelles' books is a way into a Creole voice still finding its global audience.