Seychelles

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 455 sq km
Land area: 455 sq km
Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

491 km

Maritime Claims

Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

Claims Tromelin Island

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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural Resources

Fish
Copra
Cinnamon trees

Land Use

Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 18%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 18%
Other: 60%

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: no natural fresh water resources, catchments collect rain water
Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
International agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

PEOPLE

Population

77,575 (July 1996 est.)
72,709 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

31% (male 12,005; female 11,835) (July 1996 est.)
32% (male 11,811; female 11,630) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

63% (male 24,003; female 24,946) (July 1996 est.)
62% (male 21,679; female 23,229) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

6% (male 1,669; female 3,117) (July 1996 est.)
6% (male 1,485; female 2,875) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.76% (1996 est.)
0.81% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

21.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
21.35 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

7.31 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
6.7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 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: 0.54 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 69.24 years (1996 est.); 70.08 years (1995 est.)
Male: 64.23 years (1996 est.); 66.54 years (1995 est.)
Female: 74.39 years (1996 est.); 73.73 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
Adjective: Seychelles

Ethnic Divisions

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%
Anglican 8%
Other 2%

Languages

English (official), French (official), Creole

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1971)

Total population: 58%
Male: 56%
Female: 60%

Labor Force

27,700 (1985)

By occupation:

Industry and commerce 31%
Services 21%
Government 20%
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%
Other 16% (1985)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
Conventional short form: Seychelles

Digraph

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 Island), Grand' Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Independence

29 June 1976 (from U.K.)

National Holiday

National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new 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 and head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - President France Albert RENE (SPPF) reelected with 59.5% of the vote, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

People's Assembly (Assemblee Du Peuple)

Elections last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats - (33 total, 22 elected, 11 awarded) seats elected - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats awarded - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1; total seats by party - SPPF 27, DP 5, UO 1

Note: The 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

Judicial Branch

Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

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

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

National Anthem

Flag

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

ECONOMY

Overview

Since independence in 1976, per capita output has grown to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level, led by the tourist sector, which 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. 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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $430 million (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

-2% (1993 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$6,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

3.9% (1993 est.)

Unemployment Rate

9% (1987)

Budget

Revenues: $227.4 million
Expenditures: $263 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Exports

$50 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Fish
Cinnamon bark
Copra
Petroleum products (re-exports)

Partners:

France 43%
U.K. 22%
Reunion 11%
(1992)

Imports

$261 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Manufactured goods
Food
Petroleum products
Tobacco
Beverages
Machinery and transportation equipment

Partners:

Singapore 16%
Bahrain 16%
South Africa
14%
U.K. 13% (1992)

External Debt

$181 million (1993 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 4% (1992); accounts for 12% of GDP

Electricity

Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 110 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,399 kWh (1993)

Industries

Tourism
Processing of coconut and vanilla
Fishing
Coir rope factory
Boat building
Printing
Furniture
Beverage

Agriculture

Accounts for 5% 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

Recipient: U.S. 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

Currency

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9257 (January 1996), 4.7620 (1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 269 km
Paved: 187 km
Unpaved: 82 km (1988 est.)

Ports

Victoria

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 14
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

8,300 telephones (1982 est.); direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries

Domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 34,000 (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 8,200 (1991 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 21,547; males fit for military service 10,883 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

History
World Atlas

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