Republic of Seychelles

Statistics

President: France-Albert Ren� (1977)

Area: 176 sq mi (455 sq km)

Population (2001 est.): 79,715 (average annual rate of natural increase: 1.1%); birth rate: 17.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 17.3/1000; density per sq mi: 454

Capital and largest city (1993 est.): Victoria, 25,000

Monetary unit: Seychelles rupee

Languages: English and French (both official), and Seselwa (a creole)

Ethnicity/race: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%

Literacy rate: 58% (1971)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (1999 est.): $590 million; per capita $7,500. Real growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 3% (1999). Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 2%. Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish. Labor force: 26,000 (1996); industry, 19%; services, 57%; government, 14%; fishing, agriculture, and forestry, 10% (1989). Industries: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages. Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees. Exports: $91 million (f.o.b., 1998): fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports). Imports: $403 million (c.i.f., 1998): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products. Major trading partners: France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Singapore.

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 17,844 (1997); mobile cellular: 2,249 (1997). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 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. Airports: 14 (1999 est.).

International disputes: claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory.

Geography

Seychelles consists of an archipelago of about 100 islands in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar. The principal islands are Mah� (55 sq mi; 142 sq km), Praslin (15 sq mi; 38 sq km), and La Digue (4 sq mi; 10 sq km). The Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches groups are included in the territory of the republic.

Socialist multiparty state.

The Seychelles were uninhabited when the British East India Company became the first visitors to the archipelago in 1609. Thereafter, it became a favorite pirate haven. The French claimed the islands in 1756 and administered them as part of the colony of Mauritius. The British gained control of the islands through the Treaty of Paris (1814), and changed the islands' name from the French S�chelles to the Anglicized Seychelles.

The islands became self-governing in 1975, and independent on June 29, 1976. It has remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Its first president, James Mancham, was overthrown in 1977 by the prime minister, France-Albert Ren�. At first Ren� created a socialist state with a one-party system, but later reintroduced a multiparty system as well as various reforms.

To increase revenue the government in 1996 quietly initiated an Economic Citizenship Program that provides foreigners with the opportunity to obtain a Seychelles passport upon payment of $25,000. A new law in late 1995 granted immunity from criminal prosecution to anyone investing $10 million in the country.

In elections held in March 1998, President France-Albert Ren� was reelected with 66.6% of the vote.

In June 2000, the Financial Action Task Force created by the seven leading industrialized nations, known as the Group of 7, warned the Seychelles that it could be blacklisted if it failed to tighten its banking laws. The task force charged the Seychelles allows its banking system to recycle money made by criminal activity.

In Sept. 2001, President Ren� was reelected for another five years, defeating Wavel Ramkalawan, an Anglican priest.