Page last updated on January 29, 2014
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; he was reelected in May 2011.
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
total: 455 sq km
country comparison to the world: 199
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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
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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
fish, copra, cinnamon trees
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 93.48% (2011)
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; occasional short droughts
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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
the constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155 islands: 42 granitic and 113 coralline; by far the largest island is Mahe, which is home to about 90% of the population and the site of the capital city of Victoria
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.6% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecoastal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.6), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)
90,846 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
0-14 years: 21.2% (male 9,852/female 9,364)
15-24 years: 14.6% (male 6,932/female 6,293)
25-54 years: 49.3% (male 23,471/female 21,306)
55-64 years: 7.8% (male 3,663/female 3,378)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 2,520/female 4,067) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 42.6 %
youth dependency ratio: 31.6 %
elderly dependency ratio: 11 %
potential support ratio: 9.1 (2013)
total: 33.4 years
male: 33 years
female: 34 years (2013 est.)
0.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
14.85 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
urban population: 53.6% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 1.05% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
VICTORIA (capital) 26,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 136
male: 13.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 74.01 years
country comparison to the world: 116
male: 69.4 years
female: 78.76 years (2013 est.)
1.89 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
3.8% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 170
1.51 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
3.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)
23.9% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 70
4.8% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 80
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2011 est.)
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2011)
total: 20.3% (2002)
country comparison to the world: 58
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
local long form: Republic of Seychelles
local short form: Seychelles
name: Victoria
geographic coordinates: 4 37 S, 55 27 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
25 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Royale, Au Cap, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand Anse Mahe, Grand Anse Praslin, Inner Islands, La Riviere Anglaise, Les Mamalles, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Roche Caiman, Saint Louis, Takamaka
29 June 1976 (from the UK)
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993; amended many times, last in 2011 (2011)
mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); Vice President Danny FAURE (since 1 July 2010)
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 on 19-21 May 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 55.5%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 41.4%, Philippe BOULLE 1.7%, Ralph VOLCERE 1.5%; note - this was the second 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
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; members to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 29 September - 1 October 2011 (next to be held in 2016); note - the National Assembly was dissolved in July 2011 resulting in early elections
election results: percent of vote by party - PL 88.6%, PDM 10.9%, independents 0.6%; seats by party - PL 31, vacant - 3; note - the ruling SPPF changed its name to People's Party (Party Lepep) in June 2009; the SNP and NDP boycotted the 2011 elections
highest court(s): Seychelles Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices; Supreme Court of Seychelles (consists of the chief justice and 5 pusine judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 3 Supreme Court judges)
judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Committee, a 3-member body, with 1 member appointed by the president of the republic, 1 by the opposition leader in the National Assembly, and 1 by the other 2 appointees; judges appointed until retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence, and child custody and maintenance
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]
Roman Catholic Church
other: trade unions
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie-Louise Cecile POTTER (since 6 September 2012)
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the US Ambassador to Mauritius, currently Ambassador Shari VILLAROSA, 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; the oblique bands are meant to symbolize a dynamic new country moving into the future; blue represents sky and sea, yellow the sun giving light and life, red the peoples' determination to work for the future in unity and love, white social justice and harmony, green the land and natural environment
name: "Koste Seselwa" (Seychellois Unite)
lyrics/music: David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET
note: adopted 1996
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. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million, leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. In an effort to obtain loans to service its debt, Seychelles in November 2008 signed a standby arrangement with the IMF that mandated floating the exchange rate, removing foreign exchange controls, cutting government spending, and tightening monetary policy. In response to Seychelles' successful implementation of these policies, the IMF upgraded Seychelles to a three-year extended fund facility (EFF) of $31 million in December 2009. In 2008, GDP fell more than 1% due to declining tourism and the initial effects of liberalization, but the economy recovered in 2010-11 after the reforms took hold and tourism increased. Growth slowed again in 2012 with flagging tourism from Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Seychelles is attempting to implement further structural reforms, including overhauling the tax system, reorganizing of state enterprises, and deregulating the finance and communications sectors.
$2.295 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$1.018 billion (2012 est.)
2.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$25,000 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
10.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
household consumption: 101.5%
government consumption: 14.7%
investment in fixed capital: 31.3%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 45.7%
imports of goods and services: -92.6%
agriculture: 2%
industry: 18.6%
services: 79.4% (2012 est.)
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), copra, bananas; poultry; tuna
fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
39,560 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 197
agriculture: 3%
industry: 23%
services: 74% (2006)
2% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
lowest 10%: 4.7%
highest 10%: 15.4% (2007)
revenues: $438.3 million
expenditures: $415.4 million (2012 est.)
43.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
2.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
68.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
7.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
11.17% (31 December 2010 est.)
12.19% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
$301.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
$553.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
$408.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
$-208.9 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
$493.3 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
France 27.7%, UK 17.6%, Japan 15.2%, Italy 10.6% (2012)
$889.6 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods
Saudi Arabia 24%, Spain 12.1%, France 5.9% (2012)
$318.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$1.733 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar -
283 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
263.2 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
89,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
0 bbl (1 January 2010 es)
country comparison to the world: 181
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
7,793 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
6,316 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 189
1.088 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
28,900 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 177
138,300 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 185
general assessment: effective system
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 170 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) (2011)
the government operates the only terrestrial TV station, which provides local programming and airs broadcasts from international services; multi-channel cable and satellite TV are available; the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2007)
247 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 195
32,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 180
14 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 150
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m:
total: 508 km
country comparison to the world: 194
paved: 490 km
unpaved: 18 km (2010)
total: 9
country comparison to the world: 118
by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Victoria
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 (2012)
males age 16-49: 26,257
females age 16-49: 23,996 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 20,231
females age 16-49: 19,891 (2010 est.)
male: 686
female: 650 (2010 est.)
0.89% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 331
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
