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. Single-party 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 reelected in 2001 but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in May 2011.

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S 55 40 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 455 km²
Land: 455 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 199
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 volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky hilly interior; others are coral flat elevated reefs

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources: fish coconuts (copra) cinnamon trees

Land use
Agricultural land: 6.5%
Forest: 88.5%
Other: 5%

Irrigated land: 2.6 km² (2003)

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

Geography
Note: smallest African country; the constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155 islands: 42 granitic and 113 coralline; by far the largest island is Mahe which is home to about 90% of the population and the site of the capital city of Victoria

Population: 92,430 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 199
Growth rate: 0.83% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 133
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Seychellois
Adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups: mixed French African Indian Chinese and Arab

Languages: Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1% English (official) 5.1% French (official) 0.7% other 3.8% unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2% Protestant 10.6% (Anglican 6.1% Pentecoastal Assembly 1.5% Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2% other Protestant 1.6) other Christian 2.4% Hindu 2.4% Muslim 1.6% other non-Christian 1.1% unspecified 4.8% none 0.9% (2010 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.53%
15-24 years: 13.92%
25-54 years: 49.4%
55-64 years: 8.74%
65 years and over: 7.41% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.5%
Youth dependency ratio: 33.6%
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.9%
Potential support ratio: 10.1%

Median age
Total: 34.4 years
Male: 33.9 years
Female: 35 years

Population growth rate: 0.83% (2015 est.)
Rank: 133

Birth rate: 14.19 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 138

Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 137

Net migration rate: 1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 64

Urbanization
Urban population: 53.9% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.14% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: VICTORIA (capital) 26,000 (2014)

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: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.1 male/female
25-54 years: 1.12 male/female
55-64 years: 1.08 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.49 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 13.12 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.78 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 132

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.49 years
Male: 69.92 years
Female: 79.2 years
Rank: 117

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 143

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 1.07 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 3.6 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

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

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 26.9% (2014)
Rank: 70

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 121

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years

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 37 S 55 27 E
Time difference: UTC+4

Administrative divisions: 25 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins Anse Boileau Anse Etoile Anse Royale Au Cap Baie Lazare Baie Sainte Anne Beau Vallon Bel Air Bel Ombre Cascade Glacis Grand Anse Mahe Grand Anse Praslin Inner Islands La Riviere Anglaise Les Mamalles Mont Buxton Mont Fleuri Plaisance Pointe Larue Port Glaud Roche Caiman Saint Louis Takamaka

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day) 18 June (1993); Independence Day 29 June (1976)

Constitution: previous 1970 1979; latest drafted May 1993 approved by referendum 18 June 1993 effective 23 June 1993; amended many times last in 2011 (2015)

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law French civil law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL ; Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President James Alix MICHEL ; Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 3-5 December with runoff on 16-18 December 2015 (next to be held NA)
Election results: President James MICHEL reelected president; percent of vote in second round - James MICHEL 50.2% Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 49.8%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Elections: last held on 29 September - 1 October 2011 ; note - the National Assembly was dissolved in July 2011 resulting in early elections
Election results: percent of vote by party - PL 88.6% PDM 10.9% independent 0.6%; seats by party - PL 33 PDM 1; note - the SNP and NDP boycotted the 2011 elections

Judicial branch
Highest court: Seychelles Court of Appeal ; Constitutional Court (consists of 3 Supreme Court judges)
Judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Committee a 3-member body with 1 member appointed by the president of the republic 1 by the opposition leader in the National Assembly and 1 by the other 2 appointees; judges appointed until retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence and child custody and maintenance; Employment Tribunal for labor related disputes

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AOSIS AU C CD COMESA EITI (candidate country) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO InOC Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITU 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 Marie-Louise Cecile POTTER
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue Suite 400C New York NY 10,017 800 Second Avenue Suite 400C New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] 972-1785
In the us FAX: [1] 972-1786
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the US 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 symbols: coco de mer (sea coconut); national colors: blue yellow red white green

National anthem
Name: 'Koste Seselwa'
Lyrics and music: 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. In 2008 having depleted its foreign exchange reserves Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a $230 million Eurobond requested assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and immediately enacted a number of significant structural reforms including liberalization of the exchange rate reform of the public sector to include layoffs and the selling of some state assets. In December 2013 the IMF declared that Seychelles had successfully transitioned to a market-based economy with full employment and a fiscal surplus.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 192

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 103

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 69

Gross national saving:
Rank: 113

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 53%
Government consumption: 24.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 37.9%
Investment in inventories: 0.2%
Exports of goods and services: 84.1%
Imports of goods and services: -99.6%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 14.6%
Services: 82.4%

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

Industries: fishing tourism beverages

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2014 est.)
Rank: 161

Labor force: 39,560 (2006 est.)
Rank: 196
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 74%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 21

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4.7%
Highest 10: 15.4%

Budget
Revenues: $485 million
Expenditures: $450.2 million
Surplus or deficit: 2.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 17

Taxes and other revenues: 34.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 69

Public debt:
Rank: 48

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 80

Central bank discount rate: 11.17% (31 December 2010)
Rank: 16

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 67

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 168

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 178

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 171

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance:
Rank: 96

Exports:
Rank: 169
Commodities: canned tuna frozen fish petroleum products (reexports)
Partners: France 24.8% UK 18.6% Italy 11.9% Japan 9.2% Mauritius 6.2% Spain 4.2% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 178
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs petroleum products chemicals other manufactured goods
Partners: Saudi Arabia 23.6% Spain 9.8% France 5.2% South Africa 4.6% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 148

Debt external:
Rank: 145

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 316 million kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 172
Consumption: 293.9 million kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 177
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 192
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 198
Installed generating capacity: 89,000 kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 176
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 26
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 177
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 199
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 125

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 187
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 184
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 122
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 185

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 128
Products consumption: 6,800 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 162
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 129
Products imports: 6,805 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 148

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 125
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 191
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 174
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 130
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 189

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.304 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 164

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 21,200
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23
Fixed lines rank: 184
Mobile cellular total: 151,300
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 165
Mobile cellular rank: 184

Telephone system
General assessment: effective system
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 170 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 (2011)

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; the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sc
Users total: 49,300
Users percent of population: 53.8%
Users rank: 184

Military expenditures:
Rank: 109

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2012)

Airports: 14 (2013)
Rank: 150
With paved runways total: 7
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways: 5 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 508 km
Paved: 490 km
Unpaved: 18 km
Rank: 195

Merchant marine
Total: 9
By type: cargo 1 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 petroleum tanker 1
Foreign owned: 3 (2010)
Rank: 117

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Victoria

Disputes international: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)