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NAVIGATION
Republic of Seychelles
GOVERNMENT
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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 France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
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 reelected 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 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government |
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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 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, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (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 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 |
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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 |
ECONOMY
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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. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, 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 should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.5% (2002 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: 2.4%
industry: 24.4% services: 73.2% (2000) |
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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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0.5% (2002 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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industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $249 million
expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
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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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160 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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148.8 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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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 (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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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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Exports:
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$235 million f.o.b. (2002) |
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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 37.4%, France 25.2%, Italy 15.2%, Germany 6.1%, Netherlands (2001) |
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Imports:
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$380 million f.o.b. (2002) |
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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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US 26.0%, France 9.8%, Saudi Arabia 8.6%, South Africa 6.8%, Spain 6.6% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$170 million (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$16.4 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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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 - 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000), 5.3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |