World Facts Index
 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.
Geography of Seychelles
|
Location:
|
Eastern Africa, group of
islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar |
|
Coordinates:
|
4 35 S, 55 40 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 455 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
2.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
491 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin |
|
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 |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
fish, copra, cinnamon trees |
|
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 rainwater |
|
Geography - note:
|
40 granitic and about 50
coralline islands
|
Population of Seychelles
|
Population:
|
82,247 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)
15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) |
|
Median age:
|
28.1 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
0.43% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
15.14 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 72.08 years
male: 66.69 years
female: 77.63 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
1.74 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Seychellois (singular and
plural)
adjective: Seychellois |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and
Arab |
|
Religions:
|
Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist
1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified
1.5%, none 0.6% |
|
Languages:
|
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%,
unspecified 0.2% |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
Seychelles |
|
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:
|
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June
(1993) |
|
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 James Alix MICHEL
(since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for
two more terms). |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning
at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for
both courts are appointed by the president |
Economy
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. Sharp drops
illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to
the Gulf War and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks
on the US. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to
sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by
5.8% in 2007, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction.
The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued
for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007.
|
GDP:
|
$1.378 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
5.3% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$16,600 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 30.4%
services: 66.5% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
1.6% |
|
Labor force:
|
30,900 |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $343.3 million
expenditures: $332.2 million |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 100% |
|
Industries:
|
fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts
and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages |
|
Agriculture:
|
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet
potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish |
|
Exports:
|
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark,
copra, petroleum products (reexports) |
|
Export partners:
|
UK 24.1%, Spain 20%, France 11.6%, Japan 8.4%, Italy 7.5%,
Germany 6%, Netherlands 4.5% |
|
Imports:
|
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals |
|
Import partners:
|
Saudi Arabia 15.7%, Spain 15.2%, Singapore 7.7%, France
7.5%, South Africa 6.5%, Italy 6.3%, UK 4% |
|
Currency:
|
Seychelles rupee (SCR) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |