Map of Seychelles | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814 when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.


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Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 455 km²
Land: 455 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September; warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use
Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 18%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 18%
Other: 60%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands


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Population: 72,709 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.81% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
Adjective: Seychelles

Ethnic groups: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 32% (female 11,630; male 11,811)
15-64 years: 62% (female 23,229; male 21,679)
65 years and over: 6% (female 2,875; male 1,485) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.81% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 21.35 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.6 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: no natural fresh water resources, catchments collect rain water
Current issues natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 11.4 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.08 years
Male: 66.54 years
Female: 73.73 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
Total population: 58%
Male: 56%
Female: 60%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
Conventional short form: Seychelles

Government type: republic

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe Island), Grand' Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Dependent areas

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new constitution)

Constitution: 18 June 1993

Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - President France Albert RENE (SPPF) reelected with 59.5% of the vote, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
People's Assembly Assemblee du Peuple: elections last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats - (33 total, 22 elected, 11 awarded) seats elected - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats awarded - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1; total seats by party - SPPF 27, DP 5, UO 1
Note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marc R. MARENGO
In the us chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 687-9,766, 9,767
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 922-9,177
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Burton STOKES
From the us embassy: 4th Floor, Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe
From the us mailing address: Box 148, Unit 62,501, Victoria, Seychelles; APO AE 9,815-2,501
From the us telephone: [248] 225,256
From the us FAX: [248] 225,189

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output has grown to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level, led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the high dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -2% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $6,000 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 5% of GDP, mostly subsistence farming; cash crops - coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla; other products - sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas; broiler chickens; large share of food needs imported; expansion of tuna fishing under way

Industries: tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1992; accounts for 12% of GDP

Labor force: 27,700 (1985)
By occupation industry and commerce: 31%
By occupation services: 21%
By occupation government: 20%
By occupation agriculture forestry and fishing: 12%
By occupation other: 16% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $227.4 million
Expenditures: $263 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $50 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports)
Partners: France 43%, UK 22%, Reunion 11%, (1992)

Imports: $261 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment
Partners: Singapore 16%, Bahrain 16%, South Africa, 14%, UK 13% (1992)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $181 million (1993 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9371 (January 1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 110 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,399 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 13,000 telephones; direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries
Local: NA
Intercity: radio communications
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 14
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: claims Tromelin Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs