CIA - The World Factbook

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.

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

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

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

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

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

87,476 (July 2009 est.)

15.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

1.93 children born/woman (2009 est.)

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

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% (2002 census)

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

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

29 June 1976 (from the UK)

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

17 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms)

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Roman Catholic Church

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

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

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. GDP grew about 7-8% per year in 2006-07, 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. Despite these actions, the Seychelles economy has struggled to maintain its gains and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks, a foreign exchange shortage, high inflation and large financing gaps, with GDP growth reduced to about 3% in 2008. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million, leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. Seychelles requested an IMF Stand-By Agreement in December 2008.

$1.473 billion (2008 est.)

$1.429 billion (2007)

$1.332 billion (2006)

$779 million (2008 est.)

10.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

92.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

5.13% (31 December 2007)

NA% (31 December 2008)

10.89% (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$330.8 million (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$249 million (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$660.2 million (31 December 2007)

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

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

208 million kWh (2006 est.)

193.4 million kWh (2006 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

6,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)

5,722 bbl/day (2005)

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

$-307 million (2008 est.)

$425 million f.o.b. (2008 est.)

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

UK 23.7%, France 19.8%, Mauritius 10%, Japan 8.3%, Italy 5.7%, Spain 5.1% (2007)

$952 million f.o.b. (2008 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Saudi Arabia 17.6%, Germany 10.8%, France 8.1%, Spain 7.6%, South Africa 6.4%, Singapore 5.8% (2007)

$59 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.161 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004)

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

2% of GDP (2006 est.)

together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)