NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:

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)

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

6.5% of GDP (2006)

Government
Seychelles

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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:

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

Constitution:

18 June 1993

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President James Alix 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) 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 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 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

Legislative branch:

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; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; 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:

Roman Catholic Church other: trade unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, 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)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 972-1785 FAX: (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
Seychelles

Economy - overview:

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. 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. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by 5.8% in 2007, 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.378 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$710 million (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,600 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.3% services: 69.6% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

39,560 (2006)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: