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.

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

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims Tromelin Island

Climate:

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

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

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

Population: 69,519 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)

Nationality:

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

Languages: English and French (official; Creole

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

Birth rate: 23 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: -8 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Environment
Current issues: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible; no fresh water - catchments collect rain; 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands
Current issues note: located north-northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 75 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992)

Literacy: 85% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

Government type: republic

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions:

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: president, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation: Second Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Marc R. MARENGO; Chancery (temporary) at 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10,017; telephone (212) 687-9,766
US:

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 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.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $350 million, per capita $5,200; real growth rate -4.5% (1991 est.)

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: growth rate 7% (1987; accounts for 10% of GDP

Labor force: 27,700; industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985); 57% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: three major trade unions

Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)

Budget: revenues $180 million; expenditures $202 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $40 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: France 63%, Pakistan 12%, Reunion 10%, UK 7% (1987)

Imports: $186 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: manufactured goods, food, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products
Partners:

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.2946 (March 1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989), 5.3836 (1988), 5.6000 (1987)

Electricity
Production: 30,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1991)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

Airports:

Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo totaling 1,827 GRT/2,170 DWT
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft