"Seychelles - Paradise on earth" a Seychelles Travel Page by MikeAtSea

The history of the Seychelles could have come straight out of a story book, a tale of intrepid explorers, fearsome pirates and brutral battles for the islands' bountiful treasures. The first serious exploration took place only 200 years ago, but early navigators, such as the Indonesians and Arabs, probably arrived before this time in search of fresh water and food. The visitors did not leave any physical evidence of their passing, unless it was they who introduced the cauarine tree and the coconut palm.
Vasco da Gama the Portuguese explorer sailed through the Amirantes group in 1503, en route from India, and might also have sighted the granitic islands.
The British made their first appearance on the Seychelles in 1609 when the ships Ascension and Good Hope arrived in Mahe during an expedition for the British East India Company. The French arrived next, in 1742 Lazare Picault landed on Mahe and named the islands after Mahe de Labourdonnais, the governor of Mauritius. 14 years later the islands were formally claimed in the name of the King of France.
At the end of the long revolutionary war Mauritius and the Seychelles were ceded to the Birtish crown and in 1903 Seychelles became a crown colony in its own right.
In March 1975 a new constitution was drawn up and a coalition government established ready for independence in June 1976, when James Mancham became President and Albert Rene Prime Minister.
Seychelles today has a population of about 80.000. Its people are descendent from the original French settlers, their African slaves, the liberated slaves rescued from slavers in the 19th century and some British settlers. The melting pot has been enriched by traders from India and China.
The main language on the islands is Creole, but most people speak English and some French. The Seychelles rich racial blend is reflected in its varied culture and food, hence making it not only a paradise to be visited, but also an exciting cultural destination.