Compare Seychelles (2008) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

Compare Seychelles (2008) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

	Seychelles (2008)	British Indian Ocean Territory (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	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 25.4% (male 10,504/female 10,272) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 27,405/female 28,706) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,590/female 3,418) (2007 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna	-
Airports	15 (2007)	1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007)	-
Area	total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC	land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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. 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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	15.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $380.9 million expenditures: $361.2 million (2007 est.)	-
Capital	name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	-
Climate	tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	491 km	698 km
Constitution	18 June 1993	-
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Death rate	6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Debt - external	$957 million (31 December 2007 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain;
Economic aid - recipient	$18.81 million (2005)	-
Economy - overview	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. Sharp drops 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. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by 5.8% in 2007, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption	193.4 million kWh (2005)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - production	208 million kWh (2005)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater	NA
Environment - international agreements	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	-
Ethnic groups	mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab	-
Exchange rates	Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004) 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 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first 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	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)	-
Exports - commodities	canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)	-
Exports - partners	UK 25.5%, France 17.5%, Italy 11.9%, Mauritius 8.5%, Japan 8.3%, Spain 8.2%, Netherlands 4.3% (2006)	-
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	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2.4% industry: 25.6% services: 72% (2007 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	5.8% (2007 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	4 35 S, 55 40 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Geography - note	41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	5,800 bbl/day (2004)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals	-
Imports - partners	Saudi Arabia 17.7%, South Africa 9.7%, Spain 8.1%, France 7.8%, Singapore 7.2%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4% (2006)	-
Independence	29 June 1976 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	1% (2007 est.)	-
Industries	fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.9% (2007 est.)	-
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)	-
Irrigated land	NA	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	agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 2.17% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Languages	Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)	-
Legal system	based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	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; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 72.34 years male: 66.98 years female: 77.86 years (2007 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census)	-
Location	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Africa	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	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	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 108,348 GRT/165,593 DWT by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2007)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2% (2006 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	NA
Natural resources	fish, copra, cinnamon trees	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); 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	81,895 (July 2007 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	0.432% (2007 est.)	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions	Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.955 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.465 male(s)/female total population: 0.932 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	-
Suffrage	17 years of age; universal	-
Telephone system	general assessment: effective system domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 110 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)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	20,700 (2006)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	70,300 (2006)	-
Television broadcast stations	2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	NA%	-

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