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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: 0

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 260 km paved: 160 km unpaved: crushed stone, earth 100 km

Merchant marine [time series]

1 refrigerated cargo (over 1,000 GRT) 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 19,399; fit for military service 9,900

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 5% 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: $172 million expenditures: $181 million, including capital expenditures of $48 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: 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]

capacity: 30,000 kW production: 80 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,160 kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.2681 (January 1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$47 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (re-exports) partners: UK 54% France 23%, Reunion 14%, (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$201 million (1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$192 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment partners: South Africa 13%, Singapore 12%, UK 12% (1991)

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

growth rate 1.3% (1991); accounts for 12% 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]

3.3% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $407 million (1992 est.)

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

$5,900 (1992 est.)

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

4% (1992 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 sq km land area: 455 sq km 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]

current issues: no fresh water, catchments collect rain water natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

claims Tromelin Island

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

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]

Eastern Africa 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

Note [time series]

40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

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]

18 June 1993

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Marc Michael Rogers MARENGO chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 687-9766 or 9767

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); election last held 20- 23 July 1993; results - President France Albert RENE reelected by 59.5% of votes, MANCHAM (PS party) 36.72% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

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

(212) 922-9177

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

(248) 25189

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), 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]

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

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

trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

Legislative branch (People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)) [time series]

elections last held 20-23 July 1993; results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats - (33 total, 22 elected) SPPF 22

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; United Opposition (UO) is a coalition of the following parties: 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, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe mailing address: Box 148, Unit 62501, Victoria, Seychelles; APO AE 09815-2501 telephone: (248) 25256

People

Birth rate [time series]

21.88 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 69.67 years male: 66.05 years female: 73.39 years (1994 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]

-6.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

72,113 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.84% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.23 children born/woman (1994 est.)