HISTORY
Seychelles
is a comparatively young nation which can trace its first settlement
back to 1770 when the islands were first settled by the French,
leading a small party of whites, Indians and Africans. The islands
remained in French hands until the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo,
evolving from humble beginnings to attain a population of 3,500
by the time Seychelles was ceded to Britain under the treaty of
Paris in 1814.
During this period Seychelles came to know the enlightened policies
of administrators such as Pierre Poivre, the brilliant politicking
of Governor Queau de Quinssy and, of course, the terrible repercussions
of the French Revolution.
Under the British, Seychelles achieved a population of some 7,000
by the year 1825. Important estates were established during this
time producing coconut, food crops, cotton and sugar cane. During
this period Seychelles also saw the establishment of Victoria as
her capital, the exile of numerous and colourful troublemakers from
the Empire, the devastation caused by the famous Avalanche of 1862
and the economic repercussions of the abolition of slavery.
Seychelles achieved independence from Britain in
1976 and became a republic within the commonwealth. Following a
period of single party rule by the government of Mr. France Albert
René, on December 4, 1991, President René announced
a return to the multiparty system of government, 1993 saw the first
multiparty presidential and legislative elections held under a new
constitution in which President René was victorious. President
René also won the 1998 and 2003 elections before transferring
the Presidency to James Alix Michel in June 2004.
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