Background: Seychelles was uninhabited prior to being discovered by Europeans early in the 16th century. A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. During colonial rule, a plantation-based economy developed that relied on imported labor, primarily from European colonies in Africa. Seychelles gained independence in 1976 through negotiations with Great Britain. In 1977, prime minister France-Albert RENE launched a coup against the country’s first president and Seychelles became a socialist one-party state until adopting a new constitution and holding elections in 1993. RENE continued to lead Seychelles through two election cycles until he stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in 2011 and again in 2015. In 2016, James MICHEL resigned and handed over the presidency to his vice-president, Danny FAURE. In 2020, Wavel RAMKALAWAN was elected president, the first time an opposition candidate has won the presidency.

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
Total: 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 relatively flat coral atolls, or elevated reefs; sits atop the submarine Mascarene Plateau

Elevation
Highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: fish, coconuts (copra), cinnamon trees

Land use
Agricultural land: 6.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
Forest: 88.5% (2018 est.)
Other: 5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 3 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 3.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 900,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

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

Geography
Note: the smallest African country in terms of both area and population; 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
Distribution: more than three-quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin contains less than 10%; a smaller percent on La Digue and the outer islands as shown in this: 97,617 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 25.3% (2018 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: predominantly Creole (mainly of East African and Malagasy heritage); also French, Indian, Chinese, and Arab populations

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 10.5% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile: Seychelles has no indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French planters, African slaves, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles’ modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British settlers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands - the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue. Seychelles’ population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation. Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries.

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.95% (male 8,999/female 8,524)
15-64 years: 72.58% (male 37,677/female 33,177)
65 years and over: 9.47% (2023 est.) (male 3,956/female 5,284)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45
Youth dependency ratio: 33.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 11.4
Potential support ratio: 8.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.2 years (2023 est.)
Male: 37.7 years
Female: 38.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 12.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: more than three-quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin contains less than 10%; a smaller percent on La Digue and the outer islands as shown in this

Urbanization
Urban population: 58.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 28,000 VICTORIA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater; water pollution; biodiversity maintainance
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 16.96 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.61 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.1 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.4 years (2023 est.)
Male: 72 years
Female: 80.9 years

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 96.2% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 6.4% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 2.25 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density: 3.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 14% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 9.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 20.2% (2020 est.)
Male: 34% (2020 est.)
Female: 6.4% (2020 est.)

Education expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.9%
Male: 95.4%
Female: 96.4% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 16 years (2021)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 16.5% (2020 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 17.5%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 15.6%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
Conventional short form: Seychelles
Local long form: Republic of Seychelles
Local short form: Seychelles
Etymology: named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas MORPHEY after Jean Moreau de SECHELLES, the finance minister of France, in 1756

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Victoria
Geographic coordinates: 4 37 S, 55 27 E
Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: founded as L'etablissement in 1778 by French colonists, the town was renamed in 1841 by the British after Queen VICTORIA (1819-1901); "victoria" is the Latin word for "victory"

Administrative divisions: 27 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, Ile Perseverance I, Ile Perseverance II, La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Les Mamelles, 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, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976)

Constitution
History: previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting the country’s sovereignty, symbols and languages, the supremacy of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, and dissolution of the Assembly also requires approval by at least 60% of voters in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2018

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 Wavel RAMKALAWAN (since 26 October 2020); Vice President Ahmed AFIF (since 27 October 2020); the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Wavel RAMKALAWAN (since 26 October 2020); Vice President Ahmed AFIF (since 27 October 2020)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22-24 October 2020; next presidential election due in 2025
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (35 seats in the 2020-25 term; 26 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and up to 9 members elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 22-24 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); note - the election was originally scheduled for 2021 but was moved up a year and held alongside the presidential election in order to cut election costs
Election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 54.8%, US 42.3%, other 2.9%; seats by party - LDS 25, US 10; composition - men 27, women 8, percent of women 22.9%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Seychelles Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices); Supreme Court of Seychelles (consists of the chief justice and 9 puisne judges); 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 Authority, 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 serve until retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence, child custody, and maintenance; Employment Tribunal for labor-related disputes

Political parties and leaders:
Note: only parties with seats in the National Assembly listed

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission:
In the us chancery: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1107, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - Ambassador JARDINE is posted in Mauritius but is accredited to Seychelles
From the us embassy: 2nd Floor, Oliaji Trade Center, Victoria Mahe, Seychelles; note - US Embassy in Seychelles reopened on 1 June 2023 after having been closed in 1996
From the us telephone: [248] 422 5,256

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, and 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" (Seychellois Unite)
Lyrics/music: David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET
Note: adopted 1996

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Economy overview: high-income Indian Ocean island economy; rapidly growing tourism sector; major tuna exporter; offshore financial hub; environmentally fragile and investing in ocean rise mitigation; recently discovered offshore oil potential; successful anticorruption efforts

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 52.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 34.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 79.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -93.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 13.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 83.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts, vegetables, bananas, fruit, eggs, poultry, tomatoes, pork, tropical fruit, cassava

Industries: fishing, tourism, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 3.63% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 51,000 (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 16.5% (2020 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 17.5%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 15.6%

Population below poverty line: 25.3% (2018 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 32.1 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 4.7%
Highest 10%: 15.4% (2007)

Budget
Revenues: $601 million (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $586 million (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 31.52% (of GDP) (2018 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.09% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: United Arab Emirates 17%, United Kingdom 13%, France 12%, British Virgin Islands 11%, Zambia 9%, Mauritius 5%, Japan 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, fish, recreational boats, cigarettes, animal meal (2019)

Imports:
Partners: United Arab Emirates 21%, Qatar 13%, British Virgin Islands 7%, Germany 6%, France 6%, China 5%, Spain 5%, South Africa 5% (2019)
Commodities: recreational boats, refined petroleum, fish, aircraft, cars (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 157,000 kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 463.894 million kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 30 million kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 7,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 7,225 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.156 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.156 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 163.06 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 19,027 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 205,140 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 192 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media: the national broadcaster, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), which is funded by taxpayer money, operates the only terrestrial TV station, which provides local programming and airs broadcasts from international services; a privately owned Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) channel also provides local programming multi-channel cable and satellite TV are available through 2 providers; the national broadcaster operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; there are 2 privately operated radio stations; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria

Internet
Country code: .sc
Users total: 90,200 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 82% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 34,966 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:
Note: the SDF reports to the president, who acts as minister of defense  

Military service age and obligation: 18-28 (18-25 for officers) years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 6-year initial commitment; no conscription (2023)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 7
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 455,201 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7.79 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: S7

Airports: 14 (2021)
With paved runways: 7
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 7
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports: 1 (2021)

Roadways
Total: 526 km (2015)
Paved: 514 km (2015)
Unpaved: 12 km (2015)

Merchant marine
Total: 31 (2022)
By type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 7, other 18

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Victoria

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