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: 79,164 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.65% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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: 29% (male 11,712; female 11,569)
15-64 years: 64% (male 24,879; female 26,038)
65 years and over: 7% (male 1,709; female 3,257) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.65% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 19.39 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.32 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rain water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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: 0.52 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.65 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.95 years
Male: 66.61 years
Female: 75.42 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (1999 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), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of the 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 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
Election results: President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote_France Albert RENE (SPPF) 61%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 27%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 12%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (35 seats_25 elected by popular vote, 10 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least nine percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party (elected)_SPPF 24, DP 1; seats by party (awarded)_SPPF 6, DP 1, UO 3
Note: the 10 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Claude MOREL
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to 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 expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing, which accounted for 70% of GDP in 1996-97. 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. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.3% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $7,000 (1997 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4%
Industry: 15%
Services: 81% (1994)

Agriculture products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1992)

Labor force: 26,000 (1996)
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation services: 57%
By occupation government: 14%
By occupation fishing agriculture andforestry: 10% (1989)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $53 million ( f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: France, UK, China, Germany, Japan (1993)

Imports: $340 million (c.i.f., 1997)
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_5.4540 (January 1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995), 5.0559 (1994)

Electricity
Production: 125 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 125 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)

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 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory