@node Geography (Seychelles)
@section Geography (Seychelles)

@display

Location:
  in the western Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  455 km2
 land area:
  455 km2
 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 the edge of 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 km2
Environment:
  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



@end display

@node People (Seychelles)
@section People (Seychelles)

@display

Population:
  71,494 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.88% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  22.35 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.12 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -6.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  12.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  69.26 years
 male:
  65.56 years
 female:
  73.07 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.3 children born/woman (1993 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)
 note:
  57% of population of working age (1983)



@end display

@node Government (Seychelles)
@section Government (Seychelles)

@display

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)
Constitution:
  5 June 1979
 note:
  new constitution now being drafted by multiparty conference, to take effect
  in mid-1993
Legal system:
  based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 5 June (1977) (anniversary of coup)
Political parties and leaders:
  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
Other political or pressure groups:
  trade unions; Roman Catholic Church
Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal
Elections:
 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:
  president, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)
Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal, Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)



@end display

@node Government (Seychelles 2. usage)
@section Government (Seychelles 2. usage)

@display

Member of:
  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
Diplomatic representation in US:
 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
US diplomatic representation:
 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
Flag:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band
  is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest



@end display

@node Economy (Seychelles)
@section Economy (Seychelles)

@display

Overview:
  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.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $350 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  -4.5% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $5,200 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  9% (1987)
Budget:
  revenues $180 million; expenditures $202 million, including capital
  expenditures of $32 million (1989)
Exports:
  $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)
Imports:
  $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)
External debt:
  $189 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 7% (1987); accounts for 10% of GDP
Electricity:
  30,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir rope factory, boat
  building, printing, furniture, beverage
Agriculture:
  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
Economic aid:
  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 - 5.2545 (January 1993), 5.1220 (1992),
  5.2893 (1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989), 5.3836 (1988)



@end display

@node Economy (Seychelles 2. usage)
@section Economy (Seychelles 2. usage)

@display

Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Seychelles)
@section Communications (Seychelles)

@display

Highways:
  260 km total; 160 km paved, 100 km crushed stone or earth
Ports:
  Victoria
Merchant marine:
  1 refrigerated cargo totaling 1,827 GRT/2,170 DWT
Airports:
 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
Telecommunications:
  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



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Seychelles)
@section Defense Forces (Seychelles)

@display

Branches:
  Army, National Guard, Marines, Coast Guard, Presidential Protection Unit,
  Police Force
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 18,982; fit for military service 9,710 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)



@end display