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.

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 455 km²
Land: 455 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of 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

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

Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Geography
Note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Population: 72,113 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.84% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Seychellois (singular and plural)

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

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

Population growth rate: 0.84% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 21.88 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.52 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: no fresh water, catchments collect rain water

Infant mortality rate: 11.7 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.67 years
Male: 66.05 years
Female: 73.39 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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

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

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

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; results - President France Albert RENE reelected by 59.5% of votes, MANCHAM (PS party) 36.72%

Legislative branch: Army, National Guard, Marines, Coast Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force
People's Assembly Assemblee du Peuple: elections last held 20-23 July 1993; results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats - (33 total, 22 elected) SPPF 22

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

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

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew F. MATTINGLY
From the us chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10,017
From the us telephone: (248) 25,256
From the us fax: (248) 25,189
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

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.

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $5,900 (1992 est.)

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: 1.3% (1991; 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)
By occupation note: 57% of population of working age (1983)

Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)

Budget: revenues:$172 million

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $47 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (re-exports)
Partners: UK 54% France 23%, Reunion 14%, (1991)

Imports: $192 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa 13%, Singapore 12%, UK 12% (1991)

Debt external: $201 million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.2681 (January 1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989)

Electricity
Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 80 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,160 kWh (1991)

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

Airports: 14
Usable: 14
With permanentsurface runways: 8
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0

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

Disputes international: claims Tromelin Island