|
Republic of Seychelles
President: James Michel (2004)
Current government officials
Total area: 176 sq mi (456 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 81,895 (growth
rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 15.8/1000; infant mortality rate:
14.8/1000; life expectancy: 72.3; density per sq mi: 465
Capital and largest city (2003 est.):
Victoria, 23,000
Monetary unit: Seychelles rupee
Languages:
Seselwa Creole 92%, English 5%, French (all
official) (2002)
Ethnicity/race:
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and
Arab
Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%, Anglican 6%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1%, other Christian 3%, Hindu 2%, Muslim 1%, none 1%
Literacy rate: 91.8% (2002
census)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007
est.): $1.378 billion; per capita $16,600. Real growth rate:
5.3%. Inflation: 5.7%. Unemployment: 2% (2006 est.).
Arable land: 2%. Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon,
vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna.
Labor force: 30,900 (1996); industry 19%, services 71%,
agriculture 10% (1989). Industries: fishing, tourism,
processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat
building, printing, furniture; beverages. Natural resources:
fish, copra, cinnamon trees. Exports: $434 million f.o.b.
(2007 est.): canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra,
petroleum products (reexports). Imports: $721 million f.o.b.
(2007 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals. Major trading partners: UK, France,
Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa
(2004).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 20,700 (2006); mobile cellular: 70,300 (2006). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001).
Radios: 42,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997). Televisions: 11,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 187 (2007). Internet
users: 29,000 (2006).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 458 km; paved: 440 km; unpaved: 18 km
(2003). Ports and harbors: Victoria. Airports: 15
(2007).
International disputes: claims the
Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean
Territory).
Major sources and definitions
|
