Seychelles is considered to be paradise on Earth with its glorious beaches lining its shores, covered by the Indian Ocean from all sides. For many people, Seychelles is the prime location for their vacation and honeymoon. The island country is one of the smallest countries in the world and has the lowest population in the African continent.
While Seychelles might be more expensive than your average tourist spot, the privacy and peace the country offers is unparalleled and can’t be seen anywhere else on the planet. If you want to enter a paradise with stark blue waters, a golden beach, and a community that is as diverse as it is generous, then Seychelles is the place you are looking for.
The country also presents amazing business opportunities to people that wish to start a business there as there is practically no taxation for business or their revenue. This sole fact has not only made Seychelles heaven for tourists but heaven for businessmen as well. Let’s find out more about the country, its geography, climate, lifestyle, business opportunities, and the government agencies that offer these opportunities.
Seychelles is, essentially, an island nation. The entire country is a giant island chain that consists of a total area of 459km² in the Somali Sea of the Indian Ocean. The country nearest to Seychelles is Madagascar and the one nearest to mainland Africa is Kenya.
The Constitution of Seychelles recognizes 155 islands as under their jurisdiction and an additional 7 islands that were added later to the country’s boundaries. These reclaimed islands are - Ile Perseverance, Ile Aurore, Romainville, Eden Island, Eve, Ile du Port, and Ile Soleil. Most of the islands are unoccupied and are actually declared as natural reserves in the country.
A specific group of precisely 44 islands, two of which are coralline and the rest are granitic, are recognized as the inner islands of Seychelles Bank. They themselves have a total area of 244km²
that occupies almost 50% of the country’s total landmass but almost all of the country’s population.
Climate in Seychelles
Since Seychelles lies so close to the equator, the climate experiences equatorial heat and climate but is also humid at several times of the year since the islands are not very large in size. The standard climate system, i.e. the Köppen-Geiger system, classifies the climate of the country as that of a tropical rainforest.
The temperature in Seychelles doesn’t vary too much around the year and almost always stays the same. The temperatures on most of the islands, especially on the inner islands, always hover in the range of 24 to 30 degrees celsius. The rainfall on the islands is always quite high and averages around 2,900 mm in most parts of the country.
The months that experience the coldest weather, i.e July and August, have an average low of about 25 degrees celsius. The best time to visit Seychelles is considered to be in the months of May to November where the southeast trade winds blow continuously across the island country.
You can be assured that you won’t experience cyclonic or tornado activity here as it lies well outside their belt. The hottest temperatures you can expect to have here is about 30-31 degree celsius in the months of March and April. You will also experience a higher amount of humidity and moisture during these months.
A Bit of History
Seychelles was considered to be an uninhabited and isolated nation throughout most of its history. However, there are reports that Austronesian seafarers and then later Maldivian and Arab traders actually did arrive at the isolated island chain of Seychelles before anyone else. This is based on the hypothesis that the tombs discovered on the islands actually belonged to these traders.
However, the earliest known recorded discovery is credited to the British Empire when Capt. Alexander Sharpeigh arrived at the islands aboard his ship Ascension. The French got to know about it and began taking control of the island chain in 1756 when the French Capt. Nicholas Morphey laid a stone of possession on the main island of Mahé. The islands were, consequently, named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, who was the then reigning minister of France.
The British then again came to capture the lands on 16 May 1794, when Capt. Henry Newcome arrived aboard his frigate Orpheus. It was the War of the First Coalition and terms of capitulation were drawn up. The very next day, Seychelles was surrendered to the British Empire. Jean Baptiste played a crucial role in this event as he negotiated with the British to come down to capitulation, thus giving the settled inhabitants a position of neutrality.
The British Empire took full control of the landmass which was formalized in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. Seychelles was considered to be a separate crown colony in 1903 and the place soon held its own elections in 1966 and 1970. However, their real independence didn’t come until 1976 where they became a republic and a member of the Commonwealth simultaneously.
The Country’s Lifestyle
The lifestyle of the Seychellois people is extremely fascinating and eventful. The people in this country live carefree and without a worry of anything in the world. They are content and it is fascinating to see how much they are in sync with the nature around them. This wonderful experience cannot be described in words and can only be felt when you experience it yourself.
Carefree does not mean being lazy and the Seychelles people are one of the hardest working lots in the African continent because of the constant tourism they get. Most of the people speak in Seychellois Creole which is a creole language that originated from French. English and pure French are the other commonly used languages in the country.
Society is focused more on women and they have a highlighted importance in the country as compared to men. Dance and music are a major part of Seychelles entertainment and it is quite common to see people dancing to their own uniquely created music at night. The citizens love playing basketball and have competed at the highest level of sports in Africa.
Doing Business
Seychelles is considered to be one of the best spots in the world for doing business because of how their tax laws worked. If you set up a business in the country and generate your revenue outside the country, you will not be charged any form of tax for it. However, if you generate any profits from commodities that are sourced inside the country, you will be charged a hefty tax of 25%.
That being said, you are still exempt from capital gain tax, interest, dividends, no gift, inheritance, property, or estate taxes. As long as you utilize your resources properly, you can run your own business in Seychelles without ever getting charged with tax for it. There is still a personal income tax rate of 15%, however, so keep that in mind if you set up your business in Seychelles.
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