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Seychelles Islands Practical Info Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles Data code: SE Government 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), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of the constitution) Constitution: 18 June 1993 Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal 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 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (35 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 10 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least nine percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 24, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 1, UO 3 note: the 10 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [leader NA]; New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party; United Opposition or UO [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN], Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD [Jacques HONDOUL], and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP [Ogilvie BERLOUIS] Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; trade unions International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intel sat (non signatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side Economy 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. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-99, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. GDP: purchasing power parity - $590 million (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 21% services: 75% (1996) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1999) Labor force: 26,000 (1996) Labor force - by occupation: industry 19%, services 57%, government 14%, fishing, agriculture, and forestry 10% (1989) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $220 million expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.) Industries: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 125 million kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998) Electricity - consumption: 116 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish Exports: $91 million (f.o.b., 1998) Exports - commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) Exports - partners: France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan Imports: $403 million (c.i.f., 1998) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products Imports - partners: South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy Debt - external: $149 million (1997 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $16.4 million (1995) Currency: 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.3060 (September 1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 17,844 (1997) Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,249 (1997) Telephone 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 Intel sat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, short wave 2 (1998) Radios: 42,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999) Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 280 km paved: 176 km unpaved: 104 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Victoria Merchant marine: none (1999 est.) Airports: 14 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.) Military Military branches: Army, Coast Guard, Marines, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 22,677 (2000 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,345 (2000 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $13 million (FY93) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY93) Transnational Issues Disputes - international: claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory Save time, money and stress! For reservations: Fill out the vacation planner to be contacted by our Seychelles Islands vacation specialist. Contact: Travelwizard.com Phone: 1-415-446-5252 or 1-800-330-8820 |
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