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.

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Extended 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

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use: 4% arable land; 18% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 18% forest and woodland; 60% other

Geography
Note: located north-northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean geoad2

Population: 68,336 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Seychellois (sing. and pl.; adjective--Seychelles

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

Languages: English and French (official; Creole

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

Birth rate: 24 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible; no fresh water, catchements collect rain; 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 75 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: 60%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

Government type: republic; member of the Commonwealth

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions: none; note--there may be 21 administrative districts named Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie St. Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand Anse (on Mahe Island), Grand Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port-Glaud, Riviere Anglaise, St. Louis, Takamaka

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday: Liberation Day (anniversary of coup), 5 June (1977)

Constitution: 5 June 1979

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

Suffrage: universal at age 17

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, Militia

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Second Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Marc R. MARENGO; Chancery (temporary) at 820 Second Avenue, Suite 201, New York, NY 10,017; telephone (212) 687-9,766; US--Ambassador James MORAN; Embassy at 4th Floor, Victoria House, Victoria (mailing address is Box 148, Victoria, or APO New York 9,030; telephone 23,921 or 23,922

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

Economy overview: In this small, open tropical island economy, the tourist industry employs about 30% of the labor force and provides the main source 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.

Agriculture products: accounts for 7% 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: 7% (1987)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 15% (1986)

Budget: revenues $106 million; expenditures $130 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1987)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $17 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: France 63%, Pakistan 12%, Reunion 10%, UK 7% (1987)

Imports: $116 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: manufactured goods, food, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products
Partners: UK 20%, France 14%, South Africa 13%, PDRY 13%, Singapore 8%, Japan 6% (1987)

Debt external: $178 million (December 1988)

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SR) per US$1--5.4884 (January 1990), 5.6457 (1989), 5.3836 (1988), 5.6000 (1987), 6.1768 (1986), 7.1343 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 25,000 kW capacity; 67 million kWh produced, 960 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 6% of GDP, or $12 million (1990 est.)

Airports: 14 total, 14 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,827 GRT/2,170 DWT

Disputes international: claims Tromelin Island