Seychelles

Republic of Seychelles

republicIndependence 29 June 1976 (from UK)

Seychelles as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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, northeast of Madagascar

Populationas each edition published it

79,326 people July 2000 est. · 68,336 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.49% 2000 est. · 0.88% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.41 years 2000 est. · 69.26 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.85 children per woman 2000 est. · 2.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

17.74 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 15 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,500 1999 est. · $5,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.8% 1999 est. · -4.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 455 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 13%permanent pastures 0%forests and woodland 11%other 74% (1993 est.)

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

Geographic coordinates

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references

Africa

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 resources

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Irrigated land

NA sq km

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

79,326

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 0.49% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

17.99Death

6.74Net migration

-6.3

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)70.41

64.87 · 76.12

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 11,499; 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.)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

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

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2000 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)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

66.7%

France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8%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

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Victoria

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

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:: 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%

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

Democratic Party or DP [leader NA];
New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)];
Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party;
United Opposition or UO [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN], Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD [Jacques HONDOUL], and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP [Ogilvie BERLOUIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

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)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL
chancery:: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone:: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX:: [1] (212) 972-1786

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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Real growth rate

1.8%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(1999)

Labor force

26,000

(1996)

Debt - external

$149million

(1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 4%industry 21%services 75% (1996)

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 (1998)Electricity consumption

116 million (1998)

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.

GDP

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1999 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

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

Imports

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

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners

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

Economic aid - recipient

$16.4 million (1995)

Currency

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

2,249

(1997)

Internet users

(1999)

Fixed lines

17,844

(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)