Seychelles

republicIndependence 29 June 1976 (from UK)

Seychelles as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVictoria

Area455 km2

Populationas each edition published it

69,519 people July 1992 · 68,336 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.88% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 69.26 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.4 children per woman 1992 · 2.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 15 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $5,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -4.5% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

455km2

Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

491km

land boundaries: noneContinental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nmExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Land use

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

Environment

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
short droughts possible;
no fresh water - catchments collect rain;
40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Note

located north-northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

People

14 fields

Population

69,519

(July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

23Death

7Net migration

-8

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%Anglican 8%other 2%

Literacy

85%

(male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Nationality

noun - Seychellois (singular and plural); adjective - Seychelles

Ethnic divisions

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Labor force

27,700;
industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985);
57% of population of working age (1983)

Government

Republic

19 fields

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 La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

Constitution

5 June 1979

Legal system

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

National holiday

Liberation Day (anniversary of coup), 5 June (1977)

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)

Political parties and leaders

ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF), France Albert RENE;
note - in December 1991, President RENE announced that the Seychelles would begin an immediate transition to a multiparty political system;
registration of new political parties was scheduled to begin in January 1992

Suffrage

universal at age 17

Elections

election of delegates to a multiparty constitutional conference is scheduled for June 1992

President:: last held 9-11 June 1989 (next to be held NA June 1994); results - President France Albert RENE reelected without opposition
People's Assembly:: last held 5 December 1987 (next to be held NA December 1992);
results - SPPF was the only legal party;
seats - (25 total, 23 elected) SPPF 23

Other political or pressure groups

trade unions, Roman Catholic Church

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Second Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Marc R. MARENGO;
Chancery (temporary) at 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017;
telephone (212) 687-9766

US:: Ambassador Richard W. CARLSON;
Embassy at 4th Floor, Victoria House, Victoria (mailing address is Box 148, Victoria, and Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles, or APO AE 09815-2501);
telephone (248) 25256;
FAX (248) 25189

Flag

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

Economy

In this small, open, tropical island economy, the tourist industry employs | about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency | earnings.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1987)

External debt

$189million

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$180 millionExpenditures

$202 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1989)

Overview

In this small, open, tropical island economy, the tourist industry 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.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $350 million, per capita $5,200; real growth rate -4.5% (1991 est.)

Exports

$40 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (reexports)
partners:: France 63%, Pakistan 12%, Reunion 10%, UK 7% (1987)

Imports

$186 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: manufactured goods, food, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products
partners:: UK 20%, France 14%, South Africa 13%, PDRY 13%, Singapore 8%, Japan 6% (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate 7% (1987); accounts for 10% of GDP

Electricity

30,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 7% 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

Economic aid

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

Communications

6 fields

Airports, 14 total, 14 usable

permanent-surface runways

8runways | over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

none

direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries;
13,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 2 TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station;
USAF tracking station

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force, Militia

3 fields

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