Seychelles

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; he was reelected in May 2011.

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

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

• the constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155 islands: 42 granitic and 113 coralline;
• by far the largest island is Mahe, which is home to about 90% of the population and the site of the capital city of Victoria

noun:

Seychellois (singular and plural)

adjective:

Seychellois

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.1 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.61 male(s)/female

total population:

1.04 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

improved:

urban:

100% of population (2010 est.)

improved:

urban:

98% of population

unimproved:

urban:

2% of population (2010 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form:

Seychelles

local long form:

Republic of Seychelles

local short form:

Seychelles

name:

Victoria

geographic coordinates:

4 37 S, 55 27 E

time difference:

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

• previous 1970, 1979;
• latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993;
• amended many times, last in 2011 (2011)

chief of state:

• President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
• Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held on 19-21 May 2011 (next to be held in 2016)

election results:

• President James MICHEL elected president;
• percent of vote - James MICHEL 55.5%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 41.4%, Philippe BOULLE 1.7%, Ralph VOLCERE 1.5%;
• note - this was the second election in which President James MICHEL participated;
• he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004

highest court(s):

Seychelles Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices; Supreme Court of Seychelles (consists of the chief justice and 5 pusine judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 3 Supreme Court judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• all judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Committee, a 3-member body, with 1 member appointed by the president of the republic, 1 by the opposition leader in the National Assembly, and 1 by the other 2 appointees;
• judges appointed until retirement at age 70

subordinate courts:

Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence, and child custody and maintenance

• Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]
• New Democratic Party or NDP
• People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France Albert RENE]
• Popular Democratic Movement or PDM
• Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Marie-Louise Cecile POTTER (since 6 September 2012)

chancery:

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

telephone:

[1] (212) 972-1785

FAX:

[1] (212) 972-1786

consulate(s) general:

Los Angeles

• five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side;
• the oblique bands are meant to symbolize a dynamic new country moving into the future;
• blue represents sky and sea, yellow the sun giving light and life, red the peoples' determination to work for the future in unity and love, white social justice and harmony, green the land and natural environment

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

agriculture:

3%

industry:

23%

services:

74% (2006)

lowest 10%:

4.7%

highest 10%:

15.4% (2007)

general assessment:

effective system

domestic:

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 170 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago

international:

• country code - 248;
• direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2011)

• the government operates the only terrestrial TV station, which provides local programming and airs broadcasts from international services;
• multi-channel cable and satellite TV are available;
• the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station;
• transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2007)

total:

508 km

country comparison to the world: 194

paved:

490 km

unpaved:

18 km (2010)

males age 16-49:

26,257

females age 16-49:

23,996 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

20,231

females age 16-49:

19,891 (2010 est.)

male:

686

female:

650 (2010 est.)

current situation:

• Seychelles is a source and destination country for Seychellois children and foreign women subjected to sex trafficking;
• Seychellois girls and, to a lesser extent, boys are forced into prostitution in nightclubs, bars, guest houses, hotels, brothels, private homes, and on the streets by peers, family members, and pimps;
• foreign tourists, sailors, and migrant workers contribute to the demand for commercial sex acts in Seychelles;
• some of the large population of foreign migrant workers reportedly experience the underpayment of wages and substandard housing

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List - Seychelles does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
• however, it is making significant efforts to do so;
• the government has failed to report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of trafficking offenses;
• the government also has not identified or provided protective services to any trafficking victims and punished victims for crimes committed as a result of being trafficked, although it has acknowledged the need for specialized training of officials in recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting trafficking offenses, it did not provide any such training during the reporting period (2013)