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.

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 455 km²
Land: 455 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 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
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 13%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: 11%
Other: 74% (1993 est.)

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: 78,107 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.7% (1997 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 11,885; female 11,708)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 24,336; female 25,293)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 1,698; female 3,187) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 20.53 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.14 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rain water

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.1 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.57 years
Male: 64.81 years
Female: 74.47 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

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 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: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
Election results: President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 59.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (33 seats, 22 popularly elected by direct vote, 11 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 9 percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
Election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 4, 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)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Claude MOREL
In the us chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
From the us: chief of mission:the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago 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 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: 1.1% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1995 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.6%
Industry: 15%
Services: 81.4% (1994)

Agriculture products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fishing (expansion under way)

Industries: tourism; fishing; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1992)

Labor force
Total: 26,000 (1996)
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: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $220 million
Expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports
Total value: $56.1 million ( f.o.b. 1995)
Commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports)
Partners: France, UK, China, Germany, Japan (1993)

Imports
Total value: $238 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment
Partners: China, Singapore, South Africa, UK (1993)

Debt external: $170 million (1994 est.)

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9968 (January 1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 33,000 kW (1995)
Production: 110 million kWh (1992)
Consumption per capita: 1,582 kWh (1992 est.)

Telephones: 13,000 (1995 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
International: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $13.7 million (1995)
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 14 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 12
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: claims Tromelin Island