1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
404 km2; 54% arable land, nearly all of it is under cultivation, 17% wood and forest land, 29% other (mainly reefs and other surfaces unsuited for agriculture); 40 granitic and 50 or more coralline islands WATER
Coastline
491 km (Mahe Island 93 km)
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (economic, including fishing, 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
Seychellois (admixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)
Labor force
15,000 in monetized sector (excluding self-employed, domestic servants, and workers on small farms); 33% public sector employment, 20% private sector employment in agriculture, 20% private sector employment in construction and catering services
Language
Creole official and most widely spoken; English, French
Literacy
60% adult; 75% school-age children
Nationality
noun—Seychellois (sing. and pl.); adjective—Seychelles
Organized labor
3 major trade unions
Population
66,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.9%
Religion
90% Roman Catholic
Government
Branches
President, Council of Ministers Fiscal year: calendar year
Capital
Victoria, Mahé Island
Communists
negligible, although some Cabinet Ministers espouse pro-Soviet line
Elections
general elections held June 1979 gave 98% approval to René as only presidential candidate on yes/no ballot Political parties and leaders: René, who heads the Seychelles People's Progressive Front, came to power by a military coup in June 1977. Until then he had been Prime Minister in an uneasy coalition with then President James Mancham, who headed the Seychelles Democratic Party. René banned the Seychelles Democratic Party in mid-March 1978 and announced a new constitution in March 1979 that turned the country into a one-party state
Government leader
President France Albert RENE
Legal system
based on English common law, French civil law system, and customary law
Member of
G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMCO, IMF, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
National holiday
29 June
Official name
Republic of Seychelles
Other political or pressure groups
trade unions
Suffrage
universal adult
Type
republic; member of the Commonwealth
Economy
Agriculture
islands depend largely on coconut production and export of copra; cinnamon, vanilla, and patchouli (used for perfumes) are other cash crops; food crops—small quantities of sweet potatoes, cassava, sugarcane, and bananas; islands not self-sufficient in foodstuffs and the bulk of the supply must be imported; fish is an important food source
Aid
economic commitments—Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (1970-79), $110 million; US (FY70-80), $2.7 million; OPEC, ODA (1974-79), $1.2 million
Budget
(1979) revenue $42.0 million, current expenditure $35.0 million, development expenditure $15.6
Electric power
16,000 kW capacity (1980); 45 million kWh produced (1980), 703 kWh per capita
Exports
$5.2 million (f.o.b., 1980); cinnamon (bark and oil) and vanilla account for almost 50% of the total, copra accounts for about 40%, the remainder consists of patchouli, fish, and guano
External debt
$22 million (1980); external service payment (1980), $245,000
GDP
$90 million (1978 est.); $1,330 per capita; 6% growth rate (1980)
Imports
$74.0 million (c.i.f., 1980); food, tobacco, and beverages account for about 40% of imports, manufactured goods about 25%, the remainder consists of machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, textiles
Major industries
processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, small-scale manufacture of consumer goods, coir rope factory, tea factory, tourism
Major trade partners
exports—India, US; imports—UK, Kenya, South Africa, Burma, India, Australia
Monetary conversion rate
6.39 Seychelles rupees=US$1 (1981)
Communications
Airfields
7 total, 7 usable (on Praslin Island, Astove Island, Bird Island, Mahe Island); 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
215 km total; 145 km bituminous, 70 km crushed stone or earth
Ports
1 small port (Victoria)
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
direct radiocommunications with adjacent island and African coastal countries; 5,970 telephones (9.6 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, and no TV stations; Indian Ocean satellite station
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 13,000; 7,000 fit for military service
Supply
infantry-type weapons and ammunition from Tanzania, USSR, and the PRC