Seychelles (2003) | French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2006) | |
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), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 11,116; female 10,844)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 26,068; female 27,425) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,654; female 3,362) (2003 est.) |
- |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish | - |
Airports | 14 (2002) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
Background | 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. The most recent presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001. President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected. | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. |
Birth rate | 16.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $249 million
expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
- |
Capital | Victoria | - |
Climate | tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) | antarctic |
Coastline | 491 km | 1,232 km |
Constitution | 18 June 1993 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles |
conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises abbreviation: TAAF |
Currency | Seychelles rupee (SCR) | - |
Death rate | 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $170 million (2002 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) | French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US |
Economic aid - recipient | $16.4 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. 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 in order 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. A sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. |
Electricity - consumption | 148.8 million kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 160 million kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
Environment - current issues | water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
- |
Ethnic groups | mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab | - |
Exchange rates | Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.48 (2002), 5.86 (2001), 5.71 (2000), 5.34 (1999), 5.26 (1998) | - |
Executive branch | chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that presidential elections have been held separately from legislative elections |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON |
Exports | NA (2001) | - |
Exports - commodities | canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) | - |
Exports - partners | UK 28.6%, France 20%, Italy 8.7%, US 8.4%, Spain 6.7%, Japan 6.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, Thailand 6.4% (2002) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
Flag description | five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 24.4% services: 73.2% (2000) |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2002 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 4 35 S, 55 40 E | 43 00 S, 67 00 E |
Geography - note | 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: 373 km
paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | NA (2001) | - |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals | - |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 15.6%, France 12.8%, Spain 9.9%, Italy 9.7%, South Africa 8.4%, Singapore 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002) | - |
Independence | 29 June 1976 (from UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: 16.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
- |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (2002 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president | - |
Labor force | 30,900 (1996) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33% other: 84.45% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), French (official), Creole | - |
Legal system | based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11 note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the percentage that each party won of the total vote |
- |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.25 years
male: 65.78 years female: 76.88 years (2003 est.) |
- |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.) |
- |
Location | Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar | southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" |
Map references | Africa | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands) |
Merchant marine | total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 37,281 GRT/55,702 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.) |
total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard), Police Force (includes Police Mobile Unit, a special weapons and tactics unit capable of assisting the Army in maintaining internal stability) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $12.8 million (FY02) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (FY02) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 23,444 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) | - |
Nationality | noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois |
- |
Natural hazards | lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes |
Natural resources | fish, copra, cinnamon trees | fish, crayfish |
Net migration rate | -5.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Roman Catholic Church; trade unions | - |
Population | 80,469 (July 2003 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.46% (2003 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Victoria | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%, other 4.1% | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
- |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,635 (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 16,316 (1999) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) | - |
Terrain | Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs | volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | NA% | - |
Waterways | none | - |