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.

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

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

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

87,476 (July 2010 est.)

15.87 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

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)

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

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

29 June 1976 (from the UK)

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

17 years of age; universal

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; members to serve five-year terms)

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party); Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)

Roman Catholic Church

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, 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, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the 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

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. GDP grew about 7-8% per year in 2006-07, 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. Despite these actions, the Seychelles economy has struggled to maintain its gains and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks, a foreign exchange shortage, high inflation, large financing gaps, and the global recession. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million, leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. Seychelles requested an IMF Stand-By Agreement in December 2008. In 2009, GDP fell nearly 9% due to declining tourism.

$1.819 billion (2009 est.)

$1.885 billion (2008 est.)

$1.829 billion (2007 est.)

$767 million (2009 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

63.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

82.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

5.13% (31 December 2007)

11.81% (31 December 2008)

10.89% (31 December 2007)

$173.1 million (31 December 2008)

$330.8 million (31 December 2007)

$185.2 million (31 December 2008)

$249 million (31 December 2007)

$375.6 million (31 December 2008)

$660.2 million (31 December 2007)

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

fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

250 million kWh (2007 est.)

232.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

7,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

7,653 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$170 million (2009 est.)

-$395.8 million (2008 est.)

$428 million (2009 est.)

$502.3 million (2008 est.)

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

UK 24.84%, France 18.53%, Italy 9.45%, Mauritius 9.03%, Japan 6.98%, Spain 4.92% (2009)

$703 million (2009 est.)

$1.008 billion (2008 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Saudi Arabia 16.44%, India 8.33%, Spain 7.49%, South Africa 6.72%, France 6.39%, Brazil 6.07%, Singapore 5.07% (2009)

$197 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$63.8 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.25 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.422 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 14.2 (2009), 8 (2008), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005)

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 via subscription; the government operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2007)

Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2010)

2% of GDP (2006 est.)

together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)