Background: Seychelles was uninhabited before Europeans discovered the islands early in the 16th century. After a lengthy struggle, France eventually ceded control of the islands to Great Britain in 1814. 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.

Area
Total: 455 km²
Land: 455 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 58.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 38% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 3 km² (2012)

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, including 42 granitic and 113 coralline; the largest island by far is Mahe, which is home to about 90% of the population and is the site of the capital city of Victoria

Population
Total: 98,187 (2024 est.)
Male: 50,973
Female: 47,214
Distribution: more than three quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin is home to less than 10%, and a smaller percentage is on La Digue and the outer islands, as shown in this population distribution map
Growth rate: 0.56% (2024 est.)

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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 8,912/female 8,439)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 37,841/female 33,210)
65 years and over: 10% (2024 est.) (male 4,220/female 5,565)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 38.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 24.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 7.3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38.2 years
Female: 39.4 years

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 11.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: more than three quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin is home to less than 10%, and a smaller percentage is on La Digue and the outer islands, as shown in this population distribution map

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)

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: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 72.2 years
Female: 81.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Total: 3.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

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: the British named the town Port Victoria in 1841 after Queen VICTORIA; the name was later shortened

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 Persévérance I, Ile Persévérance II, La Digue, La Rivière Anglaise, Les Mamelles, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Roche Caiman, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Legal system: mixed 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Patrick HERMINIE (since 26 October 2025)
Head of government: President Patrick HERMINIE (since 26 October 2025)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: 22-24 October 2020
2020: Wavel RAMKALAWAN elected president; Wavel RAMKALAWAN (LDS) 54.9%, Danny FAURE (US) 43.5%, other 1.6%
2015: President James Alix MICHEL reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - James Alix MICHEL (PL) 47.8%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 35.3%, other 16.9%; percent of vote in second round - James Alix MICHEL 50.2%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 49.8%
Expected date of next election: 2025
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 34 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: mixed system
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 9/27/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: United Seychelles (US) (19); Seychelles Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa, LDS) (15)
Percentage of women in chamber: 26.5%
Expected date of next election: September 2,030

Flag description: five expanding bands of blue, yellow, red, white, and green, radiating from the bottom left corner

National anthem
Title: 'Koste Seselwa' (Seychellois Unite)
Lyrics/music: David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET
History: adopted 1996

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

Real gdp growth rate: 3.5% (2024 est.); 2.3% (2023 est.); 12.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.5% (2024 est.); 2.3% (2023 est.); 12.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 74.6% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 26.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 85.2% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -103.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 12.3% (2024 est.)
Services: 65.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: fishing, tourism, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: -6.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Budget
Revenues: $695.973 million (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $728.171 million (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 26.18% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $2.375 billion (2023 est.); $2.247 billion (2022 est.); $1.751 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: fish, scrap iron, animal meal, broadcasting equipment, ships (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $2.437 billion (2023 est.); $2.298 billion (2022 est.); $1.821 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, fish, ships, cars, plastic products (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 156,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 581.227 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 44.034 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 86.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 12.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 893,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 92 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 893,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 98.847 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 18,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 165,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 192 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 39,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 16 (2025)

Heliports: 6 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 30 (2023)
By type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 18