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  Seychelles  
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005


Map of Seychelles



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Seychelles Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    Seychelles Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
491 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
   People    Seychelles Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
81,188 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 10,839/female 10,601)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 26,709/female 28,025)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,622/female 3,392) (2005 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 27.7 years
male: 26.62 years
female: 28.76 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.43% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-5.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 15.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 71.82 years
male: 66.41 years
female: 77.4 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2003 est.)
   Government    Seychelles Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Victoria
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
18 June 1993
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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; election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that presidential elections have been held separately from legislative elections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the percentage that each party won of the total vote
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
   Economy    Seychelles Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. 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 in order 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. A sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$626 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 28.7%
services: 68.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
39.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $318.3 million
expenditures: $298.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
218 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
202.8 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$-98.42 million (2004 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$256.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK 27.7%, France 15.8%, Spain 12.6%, Japan 8.6%, Italy 7.5%, Germany 5.6% (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$393.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Saudi Arabia 15.5%, Spain 13.3%, France 10.3%, Singapore 7%, South Africa 6.8%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$70.94 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$218.1 million (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$16.4 million (1995)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Seychelles Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
54,500 (2003)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: effective system
domestic: 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)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.sc
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
264 (2003)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11,700 (2002)
   Transportation    Seychelles Top of Page
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 373 km
paved: 315 km
unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Victoria
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2005)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
   Military    Seychelles Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 21,612 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 16,122 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.8% (2004)
   Transnational Issues    Seychelles Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005


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