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. The most recent presidential elections were held in 2001; President RENE who had served since 1977 was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president.

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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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: 2.17%
Permanent crops: 13.04%
Other: 84.79% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

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

Geography
Note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Population: 81,541 (July 2006 est.)
Growth rate: 0.43% (2006 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: mixed French African Indian Chinese and Arab

Languages: Creole 91.8% English 4.9% (official) other 3.1% unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 82.3% Anglican 6.4% Seventh Day Adventist 1.1% other Christian 3.4% Hindu 2.1% Muslim 1.1% other non-Christian 1.5% unspecified 1.5% none 0.6% (2002 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)
15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.1 years
Male: 27 years
Female: 29.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 16.03 births/1000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2006 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male/female
Total population: 0.93 male/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.14 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 19.16 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10.99 deaths/1000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.08 years
Male: 66.69 years
Female: 77.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.9%
Male: 91.4%
Female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
Conventional short form: Seychelles
Local long form: Republic of Seychelles
Local short form: Seychelles

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Victoria
Geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E
Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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)

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 James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); 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 (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2007)
Election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

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

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE James MICHEL] (the governing party)

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB AU C COMESA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt (signatory) ICFTU ICRM IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO InOC Interpol IOC ISO (correspondent) ITU MIGA NAM OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10,017