Seychelles is an archipelago country located in the Indian Ocean of East Africa. Seychelles declared independence on June 29, 1976 and established the Republic of Seychelles as a member of the British Commonwealth. Half of the entire territory is a nature reserve, enjoying the reputation of "tourist paradise". Seychelles has an underdeveloped economy and a very weak industrial and agricultural foundation. The general population uses agriculture and fishery as a business, and has many poultry and livestock. In other aspects, most of the country's income is dependent on the consumption of inbound tourists. It joined the World Trade Organization in March 2015 and formally became a member of the SADC Free Trade Area in July.