Population
In 2019, the Seychelles had an average population density
of 216 residents per km2. The population is
concentrated in a few islands, mainly Mahé with about 90 per
cent of the residents. Victoria is the dominant city.
According to
Countryaah data, Seychelles has a lower population growth rate than most
other African countries. Nearly 90 percent of the population
is Creole, including descendants of European immigrants,
African slaves and, to a lesser extent, immigrant Asians.
Language
Native languages of the population are Seychelles or
Seychelles Creole (seselwa), which is French-based. It is
official language along with English and French.
Religion
In Seychelles, almost all are Christians. Of these, more
than 80% are Catholics. The islands, which were uninhabited,
were sifted as early as 1502 by Vasco da Gama, but not until
1756 did they come under French domination. The first French
colonizers came the same year that the Catholic Church was
founded in the country, namely in 1770. In 1794 Britain
occupied the Seychelles, which by the Treaty of Paris in
1814 became British property and in 1903 became the British
Crown Colony. The British takeover did not change much, but
the residents continued to see themselves as French. Among
other Christians, Protestants make up just under
one-twentieth of the population, while the Anglican Church,
established in the country in 1843, has just over twenty-one
of the population as members. There are also small groups of
other Christian communities, including Seventh-day
Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses.
In 1976, the country became independent. According to the
1993 constitution (with amendments by 2011), the country is
secular and religious freedom is guaranteed, but the
constitution still contains some religious formulations.
State employees are entitled to paid leave to celebrate
their religious holidays. There are no requirements for
religious organizations to be registered. The government
offers the religious organizations broadcast time in the
stale radio, which several of the religious groups use.
The following days are national religious holidays: Good
Friday, Easter Day, Corpus Christi, Mary's ascension to
heaven, All Saints' Day, Mary's Immaculate Conception, and
Christmas Day.
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