2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440) 15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Area

land

455 sq km

total

455 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term. Geography Seychelles

Birth rate

16.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Capital

geographic coordinates

4 38 S, 55 27 E

name

Victoria

time difference

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

491 km

Constitution

18 June 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form

Seychelles

local long form

Republic of Seychelles

local short form

Seychelles

Death rate

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Morne Seychellois 905 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements

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, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Executive branch

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

Geographic coordinates

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Geography - note

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands People Seychelles

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

19.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

2.17%

other

84.79% (2005)

permanent crops

13.04%

Languages

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Legal system

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.63 years (2006 est.)

male

66.69 years

total population

72.08 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92.3% (2003 est.) Government Seychelles

male

91.4%

total population

91.9%

Location

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

29.1 years (2006 est.)

male

27 years

total

28.1 years

National holiday

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Nationality

adjective

Seychellois

noun

Seychellois (singular and plural)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Net migration rate

-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

81,541 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

0.43% (2006 est.)

Religions

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)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

Airports

15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

7 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

4 (2006)

Budget

expenditures

$376 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$371.1 million

Currency (code)

Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code

SCR

Current account balance

$-78.59 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$616.7 million (2006 est.)

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 Jeremie BONNELAME

telephone

[1] (212) 972-1785

Disputes - international

together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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. Sharp drops 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. Growth turned negative again in 2005-06. 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.

Electricity - consumption

193.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

208 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002)

Exports

$365.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

Exports - partners

UK 23%, Spain 19.8%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy 7.4%, Germany 5.8%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005)

FAX

[1] (212) 972-1786

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Seychelles

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.2%

industry

30.1%

services

66.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$712 million (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$626 million (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$570.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners

Saudi Arabia 15.2%, South Africa 13.9%, Spain 13.6%, France 7.2%, Singapore 6.9%, Italy 5.7% (2005)

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)

0.7% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.sc

Internet hosts

72 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

20,000 (2005) Transportation Seychelles

Investment (gross fixed)

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Labor force

30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

10%

industry

19%

services

71% (1989)

Legislative branch

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

elections

last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2007)

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

22,459 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

21,612

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

18,777 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

16,122

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, chemical tanker 4

foreign-owned

1 (Nigeria 1) (2006)

total

5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$14.85 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.1% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Seychelles

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Population below poverty line

NA%

Ports and terminals

Victoria Military Seychelles

Public debt

166.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

42,000 (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$44.78 million (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

440 km

total

458 km

unpaved

18 km (2003)

Seychelles Defense Force

Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Telephone system

domestic

radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago

general assessment

effective system

international

country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

21,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

57,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

11,000 (1997)

Unemployment rate

NA%