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
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

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

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: 79,326 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.49% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: Seychellois (mixture of Asians Africans Europeans)

Languages: English (official) French (official) Creole

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

Population growth rate: 0.49% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 17.99 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.74 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 17.74 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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)

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

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [leader NA]; New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party; United Opposition or UO [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD [Jacques HONDOUL] and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP [Ogilvie BERLOUIS]

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 ISO (correspondent) NAM OAU OPCW SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WHO WMO WToO WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
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. 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. Growth slowed in 1998-99 due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors.

Real gdp growth rate: 1.8% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1999 est.)

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: NA%

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

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3% (1999)

Exports: $91 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: fish cinnamon bark copra petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: France UK Netherlands Italy China Germany Japan

Imports: $403 million (c.i.f. 1998)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs petroleum products
Partners: South Africa UK China Singapore France Italy

Debt external: $149 million (1997 est.)

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.3060 (September 1999) 5.2622 (1998) 5.0263 (1997) 4.9700 (1996) 4.7620 (1995)

Electricity
Production: 125 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 116 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 17,844 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 2,249 (1997)

Internet
Service providers isps: 1 (1999)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $13 million (FY93)
Percent of gdp: 2.8% (FY93)

Airports: 14 (1999 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Disputes international: claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory