1995 Edition

Area

total area: 455 sq km land area: 455 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Coastline

491 km

Environment

current issues: no natural fresh water resources, catchments collect rain water natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

International disputes

claims Tromelin Island

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 18% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 18% other: 60%

Location

Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Note

40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Terrain

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (female 11,630; male 11,811) 15-64 years: 62% (female 23,229; male 21,679) 65 years and over: 6% (female 2,875; male 1,485) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

21.35 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Infant mortality rate

11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

27,700 (1985) by occupation: industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)

Languages

English (official), French (official), Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.08 years male: 66.54 years female: 73.73 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1971) total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60%

Nationality

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychelles

Net migration rate

-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

72,709 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

0.81% (1995 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%

Total fertility rate

2.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Administrative divisions

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 Island), Grand' Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Capital

Victoria

Constitution

18 June 1993

Digraph

SE

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Marc R. MARENGO chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 687-9766, 9767

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - President France Albert RENE (SPPF) reelected with 59.5% of the vote, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (212) 922-9177

[248] 225189

Flag

three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles

National holiday

National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new constitution)

Other political or pressure groups

trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)

elections last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats - (33 total, 22 elected, 11 awarded) seats elected - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats awarded - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1; total seats by party - SPPF 27, DP 5, UO 1 note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

Political parties and leaders

ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF), France Albert RENE; Democratic Party (DP), Sir James MANCHAM; United Opposition (UO), Annette GEORGES - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party (PS), Wavel RAMKALAWAN; Seychelles Democratic Movement (MSPD), Jacques HONDOUL; Seychelles Liberal Party (SLP), Ogilvie BERLOUIS;;

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Burton STOKES embassy: 4th Floor, Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe mailing address: Box 148, Unit 62501, Victoria, Seychelles; APO AE 09815-2501 telephone: [248] 225256

Agriculture

accounts for 5% of GDP, mostly subsistence farming; cash crops - coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla; other products - sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas; broiler chickens; large share of food needs imported; expansion of tuna fishing under way

Budget

revenues: $227.4 million expenditures: $263 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $26 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1978-89), $315 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $60 million

Electricity

capacity: 30,000 kW production: 110 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,399 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9371 (January 1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990)

Exports

$50 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports) partners: France 43%, UK 22%, Reunion 11%, (1992)

External debt

$181 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Imports

$261 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment partners: Singapore 16%, Bahrain 16%, South Africa, 14%, UK 13% (1992)

Industrial production

growth rate 4% (1992); accounts for 12% of GDP

Industries

tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.9% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $430 million (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$6,000 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

-2% (1993 est.)

Overview

Since independence in 1976, per capita output has grown to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level, led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings. 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 high dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition.

Unemployment rate

9% (1987)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

13,000 telephones; direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries local: NA intercity: radio communications international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 14 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 6 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Highways

total: 260 km paved: 160 km unpaved: crushed stone, earth 100 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Victoria

Railroads

0 km

Branches

Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.) ________________________________________________________________________ SIERRA LEONE

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 19,829; males fit for military service 10,099 (1995 est.)