Western Sahara (2004) | Seychelles (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)
15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna |
Airports | 11 (2003 est.) | 15 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006) |
Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. | 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 in 2001; President RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 16.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $343.3 million
expenditures: $332.2 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | none | name: Victoria
geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 491 km |
Constitution | - | 18 June 1993 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles |
Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $508 million (2005 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 |
Disputes - international | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals | together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $16.4 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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. 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. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit. Growth turned negative again in 2005. 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 may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (2001) | 224.4 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2001) | 241.3 million kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999) | Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001) |
Executive branch | none | chief of state: President James 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); 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 (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 (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 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 |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | UK 23%, Spain 19.6%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy 7.4%, Germany 5.7%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 30.4% services: 66.5% (2005 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | -3% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 4 35 S, 55 40 E |
Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands |
Highways | total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) | Saudi Arabia 16.7%, Spain 14.9%, Singapore 7.6%, France 7.5%, Italy 6.2%, South Africa 6.2% (2005) |
Independence | - | 29 June 1976 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 1.6% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president |
Labor force | 12,000 | 30,900 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture: 10%
industry: 19% services: 71% (1989) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | 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 |
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 to be held in December 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 72.08 years
male: 66.69 years female: 77.63 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | 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 |
Merchant marine | - | total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4 foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006) |
Military branches | - | Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | $14.85 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 2.1% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | - | Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) |
Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | fish, copra, cinnamon trees |
Net migration rate | - | -5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 [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 | none | Roman Catholic Church; trade unions |
Population | 267,405 (July 2004 est.) | 81,541 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | NA | 0.43% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Religions | Muslim | 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 | NA | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 17 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
general assessment: effective system
domestic: 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 21,400 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 57,000 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | NA% |