Seychelles
Republic of Seychelles
presidential republicIndependence 29 June 1976 (from the UK)
Seychelles as the 2016 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 154 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. Single-party 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 reelected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in May 2011 and again in December 2015.
Geography
Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
18 fieldsClimate
- tropical marine;
- humid;
- cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September);
- warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Terrain
Mahe Group is volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky, hilly interior; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 6.5%;
- arable land 2.2%;
- permanent crops 4.3%;
- permanent pasture 0%
- forest:
- 88.5%
- other:
- 5% (2011 est.)
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
Geography - note
- smallest African country;
- 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
People and Society
33 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2016 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2016 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2010 est.)
Languages
Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
Demographic profile
Seychelles has no indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French planters, African slaves, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles’ modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British settlers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands – the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue.
Seychelles’ population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation.
Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries.
The combination of reduced fertility and increased longevity has resulted in an aging population, which will put pressure on the government’s provision of pensions and health care. Seychelles’ sustained investment in social welfare services, such as free primary health care and education up to the post-secondary level, have enabled the country to achieve a high human development index score – among the highest in Africa.
Despite some of its health and education indicators being nearly on par with Western countries, Seychelles has a high level of income inequality.
An increasing number of migrant workers – mainly young men – have been coming to Seychelles in recent years to work in the construction and tourism industries. As of 2011, foreign workers made up nearly a quarter of the workforce. Indians are the largest non-Seychellois population – representing half of the country’s foreigners – followed by Malagasy.
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.1 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.12 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.64 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Danny FAURE (PL) (since 16 October 2016); President Danny FAURE (PL) (since 16 October 2016)
21 fieldsPresidential election, second roundpercent of vote
Legislature, 33 seats, elected 8-10 September 2016one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Seychelles
- conventional short form:
- Seychelles
- local long form:
- Republic of Seychelles
- local short form:
- Seychelles
- etymology:
- named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas MORPHEY after Jean Moreau de SECHELLES, the finance minister of France, in 1756
Capital
- name:
- Victoria
- geographic coordinates:
- 4 37 S, 55 27 E
- time difference:
- UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
25 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Royale, Au Cap, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand Anse Mahe, Grand Anse Praslin, Inner Islands, La Riviere Anglaise, Les Mamalles, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Roche Caiman, Saint Louis, Takamaka
Constitution
- previous 1970, 1979;
- latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993;
- amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Danny FAURE (PL) (since 16 October 2016);
- Vice President Vincent MERITON (since 28 October 2016);
- note - James Alix MICHEL resigned the presidency effective 16 October 2016;
- the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Danny FAURE (PL) (since 16 October 2016);
- Vice President Vincent MERITON (since 28 October 2016);
- note - James Alix MICHEL resigned the presidency effective 16 October 2016;
- the president is both chief of state and head of government
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- elections/appointments:
- president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 more terms);
- election last held on 3-5 December 2015 with runoff on 16-18 December 2015 (next expected in December 2020)
- election results:
- President James Alix MICHEL reelected president; percent of vote in second round - James Alix MICHEL (PP) 50.2%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 49.8%
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (up to 35 seats - the Assembly elected in September 2016 has 33 members; 25 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and up to 10 members elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 8-10 September 2016 (next to be held in 2021); note - the National Assembly was dissolved in July 2011 resulting in early elections
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - LDS 49.6%, PL 49.2%, other 1.2%; seats by party - LDS 19, PL 14
Judicial branch
- 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 9 puisine 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;
- Employment Tribunal for labor-related disputes
Political parties and leaders
- People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [James Alix MICHEL] (formerly SPPF)
- Popular Democratic Movement or PDM [Francesca MONNAIE]
- Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)
- Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSD
- Seychellois Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa) or LDS [Roger MANCIENNE] (alliance consisting of SNP, Seychelloise Alliance, SPSD, and SUP)
- Seychelloise Alliance (Lalyans Seselwa) [Patrick PILLAY]
- Seselwa (Seychelles) United Party or SUP [Robert ERNESTA] (formerly the New Democratic Party or NDP)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Marie-Louise POTTER (since 19 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:
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the US 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;
- 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
National anthem
- name:
- "Koste Seselwa" (Seychellois Unite)
- lyrics/music:
- David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET
note: adopted 1996
Economy
38 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2015 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle-income group of countries. 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 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.
In 2008, having depleted its foreign exchange reserves, Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a $230 million Eurobond, requested assistance from the IMF, and immediately enacted a number of significant structural reforms, including liberalization of the exchange rate, reform of the public sector to include layoffs, and the sale of some state assets.
In December 2013, the IMF declared that Seychelles had successfully transitioned to a market-based economy with full employment and a fiscal surplus. Seychelles grew at 4.3% in 2015 because of a strong tourist sector and expanding private sector credits; its fiscal surplus reached 4% of GDP.
Gross national saving
21.3% of GDP (2015 est.) · 15.5% of GDP (2014 est.) · 26.7% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Agriculture - products
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), copra, bananas; tuna
Commercial bank prime lending rate
12.36% (31 December 2015 est.) · 11.65% (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Stock of narrow money
$492.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) · $407.2 million (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Stock of broad money
$567.8 million (31 December 2014 est.) · $529.3 million (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Stock of domestic credit
$491.6 million (31 December 2015 est.) · $427.3 million (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Current account balance
-$195 million (2015 est.) · -$300 million (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$536.2 million (31 December 2015 est.) · $465 million (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Debt - external
$2.758 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $2.837 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Exchange rates
Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 13.314 (2015 est.) · 12.747 (2014 est.) · 12.747 (2013 est.) · 13.7 (2012 est.) · 12.381 (2011 est.)
Energy
24 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2012)
Installed generating capacity, 100,000 kW(2014 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
1.4 million Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(July 2015 est.)
Telephone system
- general assessment:
- effective system
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 180 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) (2015)
Broadcast media
- 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 through 2 providers;
- the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station;
- there is 1 privately operated radio station;
- transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2016)
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 1; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 497,496
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 19,234,992 mt-km (2015)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 9
- by type:
- cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6, petroleum tanker 1
- foreign-owned:
- 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 117
Military and Security
Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF): Army (includes infantry, Special Forces (Tazar)), Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing) (2015)
3 fieldsMilitary branches
Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF): Army (includes infantry, Special Forces (Tazar)), Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing) (2015)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2012)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Seychelles.” The World Factbook 2016. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/seychelles/2016.