Seychelles: Flag and Facts

About Seychelles

The spreading bands suggest a young country on the move. Blue is sky and sea, yellow is the sun that gives light and life, red is the people's drive to build a future together, white is social justice, and green is the land itself. All five appear in the list of national colors.

No one lived on these islands until Europeans found them early in the 16th century. France handed them to Britain in 1814 after a long tug of war, and plantations worked by laborers brought from Africa shaped the economy. Talks with Britain led to independence on 29 June 1976. A coup the next year turned the country into a one-party socialist state until a new constitution and elections in 1993. In 2020, an opposition candidate won the presidency for the first time. The Mahe islands are volcanic and hilly, while the rest are flat coral atolls or raised reefs.

Did you know?

• The coco de mer, or sea coconut, is the national symbol of Seychelles.
• Morne Seychellois is the tallest point at 905 meters.
• Seychelles has three official languages: Seychellois Creole, English, and French.