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National Map
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Seychelles |
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National Flag
Of |
Seychelles |
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Flag Description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white,
and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist
side
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Seychelles |
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National Anthem
Of |
Seychelles |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Seychelles |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 35 S,
55 40 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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2.5 times
the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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491 km
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Maritime claims:
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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 |
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Climate:
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tropical
marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
(late May to September); warmer season during northwest
monsoon (March to May) |
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Terrain:
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Mahe
Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly;
others are coral, flat, elevated reefs |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish,
copra, cinnamon trees |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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lies
outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
short droughts possible |
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Environment - current issues:
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water
supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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41
granitic and about 75 coralline islands |
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Population:
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81,188
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 26.4% (male 10,839/female 10,601)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 26,709/female 28,025)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,622/female 3,392)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
27.7 years
male: 26.62 years
female: 28.76 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.43%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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16.22
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.34
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-5.54
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
15.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.82 years
male: 66.41 years
female: 77.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.75
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois |
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed
French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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Creole
91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified
0.2% (2002 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Victoria
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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29 June
1976 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) |
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Constitution:
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18 June
1993 |
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Legal system:
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based on
English common law, French civil law, and customary law
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Suffrage:
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17 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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; election last held 31 August-2
September 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: France Albert RENE re-elected
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;
France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice
President James MICHEL was sworn in as president |
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Legislative branch:
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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 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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of
Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Roman
Catholic Church; trade unions |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US
does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador
to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles |
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Flag description:
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five
oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white,
and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the
hoist side |
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Economy - overview:
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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. 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. 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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$626
million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.5%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 28.7%
services: 68.9% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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30,900
(1996) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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39.5% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $318.3 million
expenditures: $298.5 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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122.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts,
cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish |
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Industries:
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fishing;
tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir
(coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing,
furniture; beverages |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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218
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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202.8
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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4,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-98.42
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$256.2
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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canned
tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
products (reexports) |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 27.7%,
France 15.8%, Spain 12.6%, Japan 8.6%, Italy 7.5%,
Germany 5.6% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$393.4
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
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Imports - partners:
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Saudi
Arabia 15.5%, Spain 13.3%, France 10.3%, Singapore 7%,
South Africa 6.8%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$70.94
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$218.1
million (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$16.4
million (1995) |
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Currency (code):
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Seychelles rupee (SCR) |
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Currency code:
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SCR |
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Exchange rates:
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Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2004), 5.4007
(2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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21,700
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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54,500
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
1, shortwave 2 (1998) |
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Radios:
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42,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (plus 9
repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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11,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.sc |
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Internet hosts:
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264
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000)
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Internet users:
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11,700
(2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
373 km
paved: 315 km
unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Victoria
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Merchant marine:
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total:
5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, refrigerated
cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2005) |
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Airports:
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15 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes
Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age (est.); no conscription (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 21,612 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 16,122 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$12.3
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.8%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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together
with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago
(UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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