Seychelles

Republic of Seychelles

republicIndependence 29 June 1976 (from UK)

Seychelles as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 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

Position4 35 S, 55 40 E

Area455 sq km

LocationEastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

79,164 people July 1999 est. · 68,336 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.65% 1999 est. · 0.88% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.95 years 1999 est. · 69.26 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.97 children per woman 1999 est. · 2.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

16.65 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 15 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,000 1997 est. · $5,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.3% 1997 est. · -4.5% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 455 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 13%forests and woodland 11%other 74% (1993 est.)permanent pastures: NA%

Area

455sq km

land: 455 sq kmwater: 0 sq km2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

491km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

905m

Morne Seychelloislowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Location

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

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

Natural hazards

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

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

Geography--note

40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People

15 fields

Population

79,164

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.65% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

19.39Death

6.56Net migration

-6.32

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)70.95

66.61 · 75.42

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1971 est.)58%

56% · 60%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%Anglican 8%other 2%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 29% (male 11,712; female 11,569)
15-64 years:: 64% (male 24,879; female 26,038)
65 years and over:: 7% (male 1,709; female 3,257) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

16.65 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective:: Seychelles

Ethnic groups

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Languages

English (official), French (official), Creole

Government

Republic; President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

61%

-France Albert RENE (SPPF) 61%Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 27%Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 12%election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)

Country name

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

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

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday

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

Constitution

18 June 1993

Legal system

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

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
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)
election results:: President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote--France Albert RENE (SPPF) 61%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 27%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 12%

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)

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

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

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

ruling party--Seychelles People's

Political pressure groups and leaders

trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

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, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Claude MOREL
chancery:: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Since independence in 1976, per capita output | in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times | the old near-subsistence level.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$7,000

purchasing power parity? · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

4.3%

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 4% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

0.6%

(1997)

Labor force

26,000

(1996)

GDP--composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 4%industry 15%services 81% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$220 millionExpenditures

$241 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $36 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

125 million (1996)Electricity consumption

125 million (1996)

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, which accounted for 70% of GDP in 1996-97.

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$550 million (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force--by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

13,000

(1995 est.)

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)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Networkskm

Highways

280Railways

Highways: paved: 176 km · unpaved: 104 km (1996 est.)

Highways

total:: 280 km
paved:: 176 km
unpaved:: 104 km (1996 est.)

Military

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

5 fields

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes--international

claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory

Central Intelligence Agency. “Seychelles.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/seychelles/1999.

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