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. Single-party 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 reelected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in May 2011 and again in December 2015.

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Africa

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

0 km

491 km

tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Mahe Group is volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky, hilly interior; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

fish, coconuts (copra), cinnamon trees

arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 4.3%; permanent pasture 0%

3 sq km (2012)

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; occasional short droughts

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

smallest African country; 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

93,186 (July 2016 est.)

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.)

Seychelles has no indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French planters, African slaves, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles’ modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British settlers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands – the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue. Seychelles’ population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation. Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries.

The combination of reduced fertility and increased longevity has resulted in an aging population, which will put pressure on the government’s provision of pensions and health care. Seychelles’ sustained investment in social welfare services, such as free primary health care and education up to the post-secondary level, have enabled the country to achieve a high human development index score – among the highest in Africa. Despite some of its health and education indicators being nearly on par with Western countries, Seychelles has a high level of income inequality.

An increasing number of migrant workers – mainly young men – have been coming to Seychelles in recent years to work in the construction and tourism industries. As of 2011, foreign workers made up nearly a quarter of the workforce. Indians are the largest non-Seychellois population – representing half of the country’s foreigners – followed by Malagasy.

0.8% (2016 est.)

13.9 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)

1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

VICTORIA (capital) 26,000 (2014)

1.86 children born/woman (2016 est.)

3.4% of GDP (2014)

1.07 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)

urban: 95.7% of population

rural: 95.7% of population

total: 95.7% of population

urban: 4.3% of population

rural: 4.3% of population

total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 98.4% of population

rural: 98.4% of population

total: 98.4% of population

urban: 1.6% of population

rural: 1.6% of population

total: 1.6% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

26.9% (2014)

3.6% (2012)

3.6% of GDP (2011)

presidential republic

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, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976)

previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)

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

People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [James Alix MICHEL] (formerly SPPF)

Popular Democratic Movement or PDM [Francesca MONNAIE]

Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)

Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSD

Seychellois Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa) or LDS [Roger MANCIENNE] (alliance consisting of SNP, Seychelloise Alliance, SPSD, and SUP)

Seychelloise Alliance (Lalyans Seselwa) [Patrick PILLAY]

Seselwa (Seychelles) United Party or SUP [Robert ERNESTA] (formerly the New Democratic Party or NDP)

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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)

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the US Ambassador to Mauritius 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

coco de mer (sea coconut); national colors: blue, yellow, red, white, green

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 2008, having depleted its foreign exchange reserves, Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a $230 million Eurobond, requested assistance from the IMF, and immediately enacted a number of significant structural reforms, including liberalization of the exchange rate, reform of the public sector to include layoffs, and the sale of some state assets. In December 2013, the IMF declared that Seychelles had successfully transitioned to a market-based economy with full employment and a fiscal surplus. Seychelles grew at 4.3% in 2015 because of a strong tourist sector and expanding private sector credits; its fiscal surplus reached 4% of GDP.

$2.417 billion (2015 est.)

$2.316 billion (2014 est.)

$2.181 billion (2013 est.)

$1.375 billion (2015 est.)

4.4% (2015 est.)

6.2% (2014 est.)

5% (2013 est.)

$26,300 (2015 est.)

$25,400 (2014 est.)

$24,200 (2013 est.)

21.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

15.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

26.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), copra, bananas; tuna

fishing, tourism, beverages

2.2% (2015 est.)

39,560 (2006 est.)

3% (2014 est.)

3.3% (2013 est.)

NA%

34.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

2.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

63.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

64.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

calendar year

4% (2015 est.)

1.4% (2014 est.)

11.17% (31 December 2010)

12.36% (31 December 2015 est.)

11.65% (31 December 2014 est.)

$492.7 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$407.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$567.8 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$529.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)

$491.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$427.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$NA

-$195 million (2015 est.)

-$300 million (2014 est.)

$449.4 million (2015 est.)

$538.9 million (2014 est.)

canned tuna, frozen fish, petroleum products (reexports)

France 18.2%, UK 17.9%, Mauritius 10%, Japan 9.2%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 4.5% (2015)

$922.4 million (2015 est.)

$1.081 billion (2014 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods

Saudi Arabia 22.5%, Spain 11.1%, Singapore 7.4%, China 4.5%, South Africa 4.1%, France 4% (2015)

$536.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$465 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.758 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.837 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar -

13.314 (2015 est.)

12.747 (2014 est.)

12.747 (2013 est.)

13.7 (2012 est.)

12.381 (2011 est.)

400 million kWh (2014 est.)

300 million kWh (2014 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

100,000 kW (2014 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

6,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

5,956 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)

1.4 million Mt (2013 est.)

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 through 2 providers; the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; there is 1 privately operated radio station; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2016)

.sc

S7 (2016)

14 (2013)

1 (2013)

Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF): Army (includes infantry, Special Forces (Tazar)), Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing) (2015)

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2012)

0.89% of GDP (2012)

0.82% of GDP (2011)

0.89% of GDP (2010)

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)