Forgotten World (198): Seychelles
Seychelles is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres (932 miles) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. The biggest island is about the size of Manhattan, the smallest the size of a coffee table.
Independence from Britain came in 1976 and, after an ominous, post-independence start which saw them lurch from a coup, through an invasion by mercenaries to an abortive army mutiny and several coup attempts, the Seychelles have now attained stability and prosperity. Citizens enjoy a high per capita income, good health care and education.
As the islands of the Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current 84,000 Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The largest ethnic groups are those of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent.
In October 2009, the president made all his ministers put on diving gear and held the first underwater cabinet meeting in history to make the point that, if the world does not effectively combat global warming, his country will drown.