The official languages of Seychelles are Seychellois Creole, English and French.Seychellois Creole, a French-based creole language, is by far the most commonly spoken language in the archipelago, being spoken natively by about 95% of the population. Nevertheless, the country was a British colony (see: British Seychelles) for over a century and a half, and thus, English is the main language used in government and business. The French language was introduced before the British rule and has remained in use largely thanks to the Franco-Seychellois minority and the language's proximity to Seychellois Creole.