SEYCHELLES
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
SEYCHELLES
@Seychelles:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
northeast of Madagascar
Map references: Africa
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SEYCHELLES - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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VICTORIA 23,000 4.38S, 55.28E 248- GMT+4
Anse Boileau 4,000 4.43S, 55.29E 248- GMT+4
Anse Royale 3,000 4.44S, 55.31E 248- GMT+4
Cascade 3,000 4.39S, 55.29E 248- GMT+4
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Area:
total area: 455 sq km
land area: 455 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claims Tromelin Island
Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
monsoon (March to May)
Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly;
others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 18%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 18%
other: 60%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: no natural fresh water resources, 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,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands
@Seychelles:People
Population: 72,709 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (female 11,630; male 11,811)
15-64 years: 62% (female 23,229; male 21,679)
65 years and over: 6% (female 2,875; male 1,485) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.81% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 21.35 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.08 years
male: 66.54 years
female: 73.73 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychelles
Ethnic divisions: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%
Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population: 58%
male: 56%
female: 60%
Labor force: 27,700 (1985)
by occupation: industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government
20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)
@Seychelles:Government
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
Digraph: SE
Type: republic
Capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new
constitution)
Constitution: 18 June 1993
Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and
customary law
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President France Albert RENE
(since 5 June 1977); election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be
held NA); results - President France Albert RENE (SPPF) reelected with
59.5% of the vote, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple): elections last held 20-23
July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%;
seats - (33 total, 22 elected, 11 awarded) seats elected - SPPF 21, DP
1; seats awarded - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1; total seats by party - SPPF 27,
DP 5, UO 1
note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of
each party in the total vote
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: ruling party - Seychelles People's
Progressive Front (SPPF), France Albert RENE; Democratic Party (DP),
Sir James MANCHAM; United Opposition (UO), Annette GEORGES - a
coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party (PS), Wavel
RAMKALAWAN; Seychelles Democratic Movement (MSPD), Jacques HONDOUL;
Seychelles Liberal Party (SLP), Ogilvie BERLOUIS;;
Other political or pressure groups: trade unions; Roman Catholic
Church
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marc R. MARENGO
chancery: (temporary) 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY
10017
telephone: [1] (212) 687-9766, 9767
FAX: [1] (212) 922-9177
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Burton STOKES
embassy: 4th Floor, Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe
mailing address: Box 148, Unit 62501, Victoria, Seychelles; APO AE
09815-2501
telephone: [248] 225256
FAX: [248] 225189
Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green;
the white band is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest
Economy
Overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output has grown to
roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level, led by the tourist
sector, which 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. The vulnerability of the
tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due
largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the
government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in
the face of stiff international competition.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $430 million (1993
est.)
National product real growth rate: -2% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $6,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)
Budget:
revenues: $227.4 million
expenditures: $263 million, including capital expenditures of $54
million (1993 est.)
Exports: $50 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
(re-exports)
partners: France 43%, UK 22%, Reunion 11%, (1992)
Imports: $261 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco,
beverages, machinery and transportation equipment
partners: Singapore 16%, Bahrain 16%, South Africa, 14%, UK 13% (1992)
External debt: $181 million (1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1992); accounts for 12% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 30,000 kW
production: 110 million kWh
consumption per capita: 1,399 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir
rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage
Agriculture: 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
Economic aid:
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
Currency: 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 4.9371 (January
1995), 5.0559 (1994), 5.1815 (1993), 5.1220 (1992), 5.2893 (1991),
5.3369 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Seychelles:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 260 km
paved: 160 km
unpaved: crushed stone, earth 100 km
Ports: Victoria
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 14
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5
with paved runways under 914 m: 6
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
@Seychelles:Communications
Telephone system: 13,000 telephones; direct radio communications with
adjacent islands and African coastal countries
local: NA
intercity: radio communications
international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 2
televisions: NA
@Seychelles:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard, Presidential
Protection Unit, Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 19,829; males fit for military
service 10,099 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of
GDP (1990 est.)
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