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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 14 usable: 14 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

260 km total; 160 km paved, 100 km crushed stone or earth

Merchant marine [time series]

1 refrigerated cargo totaling 1,827 GRT/2,170 DWT

Ports [time series]

Victoria

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries; 13,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 2 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; USAF tracking station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 18,982; fit for military service 9,710 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 7% of GDP, mostly subsistence farming; cash crops - coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla; other products - sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas; broiler chickens; large share of food needs imported; expansion of tuna fishing under way

Budget [time series]

revenues $180 million; expenditures $202 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1989)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $26 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1978-89), $315 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $60 million

Electricity [time series]

30,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.2545 (January 1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989), 5.3836 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$40 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (reexports) partners: France 63%, Pakistan 12%, Reunion 10%, UK 7% (1987)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$189 million (1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$186 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, food, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products partners: UK 20%, France 14%, South Africa 13%, Yemen 13%, Singapore 8%, Japan 6% (1987)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 7% (1987); accounts for 10% of GDP

Industries [time series]

tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.8% (1990 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $350 million (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$5,200 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-4.5% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

In this small, open, tropical island economy, the tourist industry 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 high dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.

Unemployment rate [time series]

9% (1987)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 455 km2 land area: 455 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

491 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible; no fresh water - catchments collect rain; 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

claims Tromelin Island

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 18% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 18% other: 60%

Location [time series]

in the western Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Victoria

Constitution [time series]

5 June 1979 note: new constitution now being drafted by multiparty conference, to take effect in mid-1993

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Second Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Marc R. MARENGO chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 687-9766

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

note: presidential and legislative elections are scheduled to be held once the new, multiparty consititution is ratified later this year President: last held 9-11 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results - President France Albert RENE reelected without opposition People's Assembly: last held 5 December 1987 (next to be held mid-1993); results - SPPF was the only legal party; seats - (25 total, 23 elected) SPPF 23

Executive branch [time series]

president, Council of Ministers

Flag [time series]

three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest

Independence [time series]

29 June 1976 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Liberation Day, 5 June (1977) (anniversary of coup)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF), France Albert RENE; Democratic Party (DP), Sir James MANCHAM; Seychelles Party (PS), Wavel RAMKALAWAN; Seychelles Democratic Movement (MSPD), Jacques HONDOUL; Seychelles Liberal Party (SLP), Ogilvie BERLOUIS

Suffrage [time series]

17 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew F. MATTINGLY embassy: 4th Floor, Victoria House, Victoria mailing address: Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe, or Box 148, Unit 62501, APO AE 09815-2501 telephone: (248) 25256 FAX: (248) 25189

People

Birth rate [time series]

22.35 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.12 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

12.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

27,700 (1985) by occupation: industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985) note: 57% of population of working age (1983)

Languages [time series]

English (official), French (official), Creole

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.26 years male: 65.56 years female: 73.07 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychelles

Net migration rate [time series]

-6.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

71,494 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.88% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.3 children born/woman (1993 est.)