Seychelles

source : World Fact Book 2008 (October 2008)

SEE UPDATED INFORMATION HERE

   Introduction    Seychelles
Background:
Definition Field Listing 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    Seychelles
Location:
Definition Field Listing archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing 4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing 0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing 491 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
Definition Field Listing tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:
Definition Field Listing arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 84.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
   People    Seychelles
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 82,247 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 10,337/female 10,108)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 27,752/female 29,048)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,575/female 3,427) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing total: 28.7 years
male: 27.6 years
female: 29.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing 0.428% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 15.6 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order -5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing 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: 0.46 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total population: 72.6 years
male: 67.27 years
female: 78.1 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions:
Definition Field Listing 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)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 6.5% of GDP (2006)
   Government    Seychelles
Country name:
Definition Field Listing conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
local long form: Republic of Seychelles
local short form: Seychelles
Government type:
Definition Field Listing republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing name: Victoria
geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing 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:
Definition Field Listing 29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing 18 June 1993
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing 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); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing 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)
elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing Roman Catholic Church
other: trade unions
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
   Economy    Seychelles
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing 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 (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $1.378 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing $710 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 5.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $16,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 28.3%
services: 69.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 39,560 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing agriculture: 3%
industry: 23%
services: 74% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 5.3% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 8.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing revenues: $372.3 million
expenditures: $362.2 million (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 92.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna
Industries:
Definition Field Listing fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 252 million kWh (2006)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 216.6 million kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 6,453 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 6,453 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order -$272 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $395 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing UK 23.3%, France 19.5%, Mauritius 10.9%, Japan 8.2%, Italy 5.6%, Spain 5.1% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $823 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing Saudi Arabia 17%, Germany 10.4%, France 7.9%, Spain 7.4%, South Africa 6.2%, Singapore 5.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing $18.81 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $40.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $1.059 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing calendar year
   Communications    Seychelles
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 22,700 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 77,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing general assessment: effective system
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 110 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing .sc
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 187 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 32,000 (2007)
   Transportation    Seychelles
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 15 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 458 km
paved: 440 km
unpaved: 18 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 162,355 GRT/256,623 DWT
by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6
foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing Victoria
   Military    Seychelles
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing males age 16-49: 23,598
females age 16-49: 24,424 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing males age 16-49: 17,942
females age 16-49: 20,436 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing male: 770
female: 750 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2% of GDP (2006 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Seychelles
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)



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Source : CIA's World Fact Book 2008

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