| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form:
Seychelles
|
| Government type: |
republic
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| 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
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| Independence: |
29 June 1976 (from UK)
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| National holiday: |
Constitution Day, 18 June (1993)
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| Constitution: |
18 June 1993
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| 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
head of government:
President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results:
France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8%
|
| 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 ten percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results:
percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%, UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1
note:
the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote
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| 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]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
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| International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone:
[1] (212) 972-1785
FAX:
[1] (212) 972-1786
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles
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| Flag description: |
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
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