: 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, 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

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

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

Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; trade
unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-