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.

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
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

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

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

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

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

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
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified_Desertification
International agreements note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.24 years (1996 est.); 70.08 years (1995 est.)
Male: 64.23 years (1996 est.); 66.54 years (1995 est.)
Female: 74.39 years (1996 est.); 73.73 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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

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

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from U.K.)

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 (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

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

Flag description: The present flag has 5 colours (blue, orange, red, white and green) spreading out from the lower left corner. The old flag used to have three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band was the thinnest, the red band was the thickest

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 growth rate: -2% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $6,000 (1993 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:

Industrial production growth rate: 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 forestry and fishing: 12%
By occupation other: 16% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)

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

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports: total value. $50 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$261 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $181 million (1993 est.)

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1_4.9257 (January 1996), 4.7620 (1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990)

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

Telephone system: 8,300 telephones (1982 est.); direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries
Domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

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

Airports: 14
2438 to 3047 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 2
Under 914 m: 6

Merchant marine: None