Seychelles

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

35,000 (1993 est.)

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)

Telephones

13,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (in a government network)

Televisions

6,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fishing (expansion under way)

Budget

revenues: $220 million expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$170 million (1994 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago 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 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.

Electricity - capacity

33,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,582 kWh (1992 est.)

Electricity - production

110 million kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9968 (January 1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992)

Exports

total value: $56.1 million ( f.o.b. 1995) commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports) partners : France, UK, China, Germany, Japan (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $450 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 3.6% industry: 15% services: 81.4% (1994)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value: $238 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment partners: China, Singapore, South Africa, UK (1993)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (1992)

Industries

tourism; fishing; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Inflation rate - consumer price index

-0.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force

total: 26,000 (1996) by occupation: industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

491 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

water supply depends on catchments to collect rain water

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geographic coordinates

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Geography - note

40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Natural resources

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Terrain

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

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

Constitution

18 June 1993

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles

Data code

SE

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Claude MOREL chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

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 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results : President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 59.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%

FAX

[1] (212) 972-1786

Flag description

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Government type

republic

Independence

29 June 1976 (from UK)

International organization participation

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)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (33 seats, 22 popularly elected by direct vote, 11 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 9 percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1 note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

National capital

Victoria

National holiday

National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new constitution)

Political parties and leaders

ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE]; Democratic Party or DP [Sir James MANCHAM]; 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]; New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)]

Political pressure groups and leaders

trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$13.7 million (1995)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 21,860 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 11,030 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 11,885; female 11,708) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 24,336; female 25,293) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 1,698; female 3,187) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

20.53 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Infant mortality rate

12.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English (official), French (official), Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 69.57 years male: 64.81 years female: 74.47 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.)

Nationality

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychelles

Net migration rate

-6.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

78,107 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

0.7% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

claims Tromelin Island SIERRA LEONE

Airports

14 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total : 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 270 km paved: 170 km unpaved: 100 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Victoria

Railways

0 km