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. President France-Albert RENE who had served since 1977 was re-elected in 2001 but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S 55 40 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 455 km²
Rank: 197
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: 88,340 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 196
Growth rate: 0.966% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 124
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Seychellois
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: 22.8%
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 31,870/female 29,439)
65 years and over: 7.1% (male 2,321/female 3,913) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 32 years
Male: 31.5 years
Female: 32.5 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.966% (2010 est.)
Rank: 124

Birth rate: 15.53 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 135

Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 135

Net migration rate: 1.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 56

Urbanization
Urban population: 54% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.031 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.97 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 140
Male: 15.02 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.82 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.28 years
Rank: 115
Male: 68.6 years
Female: 78.09 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 140

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

Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 69

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.8%
Male: 91.4%
Female: 92.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 16 years (2008)

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 the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day) 18 June (1993)

Constitution: 18 June 1993

Legal system: based on English common law French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL ; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004)
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 on 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.7% Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.7% Philippe BOULLE 0.6%; 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: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2% SNP 43.8%; 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 Paul CHOW]; People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France Albert RENE James MICHEL] (the governing party); Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU
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; the oblique bands are meant to symbolize a dynamic new country moving into the future; blue represents sky and sea yellow the sun giving light and life red the peoples' determination to work for the future in unity and love white social justice and harmony green the land and natural environment

National anthem
Name: 'Koste Seselwa'
Lyricsmusic: David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET
Note: adopted 1996

Economy overview: Since independence in 1976 per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence near-subsistence level moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries. 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 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. GDP grew about 7-8% per year in 2006-07 driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007. Despite these actions the Seychelles economy has struggled to maintain its gains and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks a foreign exchange shortage high inflation large financing gaps and the global recession. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating but in October 2010 the EU approved a $2.9 million grant as part of a larger four-year program for Seychelles. In response to Seychelles successful implementation of tighter monetary and fiscal policies the IMF upgraded Seychelles to a three-year exteneded fund facility (EFF) of $31 million in December 2009. In 2008 GDP fell more than 1% due to declining tourism but the economy recovered in 2009-10 with a notable increase in tourist numbers for 2010.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 185
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 100

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 61
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.9%
Industry: 30.8%
Services: 66.2% (2009 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts cinnamon vanilla sweet potatoes cassava (tapioca) copra bananas; poultry; tuna

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2010 est.)
Rank: 129

Labor force: 39,560 (2006)
Rank: 197
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 74% (2006)

Unemployment rate: 2% (2006 est.)
Rank: 13

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Public debt: 58.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 37

Inflation rate consumer prices: 31.8% (2009 est.)
Rank: 2

Central bank discount rate: 5.13% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 84

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.81% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 77

Stock of narrow money: $240.5 million (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 168

Stock of broad money: $352 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 175

Stock of domestic credit: $582.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 159

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$284.2 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 104

Exports: $432.5 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 168
Commodities: canned tuna frozen fish cinnamon bark copra petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: UK 24.84% France 18.53% Italy 9.45% Mauritius 9.03% Japan 6.98% Spain 4.92% (2009)

Imports: $759.1 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 176
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs petroleum products chemicals other manufactured goods
Partners: Saudi Arabia 16.44% India 8.33% Spain 7.49% South Africa 6.72% France 6.39% Brazil 6.07% Singapore 5.07% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $190.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 128

Debt external: $1.321 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 145

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 12.221 (2010) 13.6124 (2009) 8 (2008) 6.5 (2007) 5.5 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 250 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 174
Consumption: 232.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 173
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 132
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 151
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 127
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 133
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 136

Telephones
Main lines in use: 22,100 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 188
Mobile cellular: 92,300 (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 186

Telephone system
General assessment: effective system
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
International: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Broadcast media: the government operates the only terrestrial TV station which provides local programming and airs broadcasts from international services; multi-channel cable and satellite TV are available via subscription; the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sc
Hosts: 256 (2010)
Hosts rank: 187
Users: 32,000 (2008)
Users rank: 179

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 72

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2010)

Airports: 14 (2010)
Rank: 150
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 6
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 458 km
Rank: 195
Paved: 440 km
Unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 9
Rank: 120
By type: cargo 1 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 petroleum tanker 1
Foreign owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1 Nigeria 1 South Africa 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Victoria

Disputes international: together with Mauritius Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)