2000 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

455 sq km

total

455 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Elevation extremes

highest point

Morne Seychellois 905 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

water supply depends on catchments to collect rain water

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Geography - note

40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

2%

forests and woodland

11%

other

74% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

13%

permanent pastures

0%

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 hazards

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Natural resources

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 11,499; female 11,338) 15-64 years: 65% (male 25,143; female 26,386) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,674; female 3,286) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

17.99 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Infant mortality rate

17.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English (official), French (official), Creole

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.12 years (2000 est.)

male

64.87 years

total population

70.41 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

60% (1971 est.)

male

56%

total population

58%

Nationality

adjective

Seychelles

noun

Seychellois (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-6.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

79,326 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.49% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2000 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), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Capital

Victoria

Constitution

18 June 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form

Seychelles

Data code

SE

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL

telephone

(212) 972-1785

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)

head of government

President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(212) 972-1786

Flag description

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Government type

republic

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (35 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 10 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least nine percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 24, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 1, UO 3

elections

last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)

note

the 10 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DP ; New Democratic Party ; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF - the governing party; United Opposition or UO - a

coalition of the following parties

Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN], Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD , and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP

Political pressure groups and leaders

Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Budget

expenditures

$241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.)

revenues

$220 million

Currency

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$149 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$16.4 million (1995)

Economy - overview

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. 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. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-99, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors.

Electricity - consumption

116 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

125 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.3060 (September 1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995)

Exports

$91 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

Exports - partners

France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $590 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

21%

services

75% (1996)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$403 million (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners

South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (1999)

Labor force

26,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 19%, services 57%, government 14%, fishing, agriculture, and forestry 10% (1989)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

42,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago

international

direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

17,844 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,249 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

11,000 (1997)

Airports

14 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

176 km

total

280 km

unpaved

104 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Victoria

Railways

0 km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$13 million (FY93)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.8% (FY93)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 22,677 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 11,345 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory

SIERRA LEONE