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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. Single-party 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 reelected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in May 2011 and again in December 2015. In October 2016, James MICHEL resigned and handed over the presidency to his Vice-President Danny FAURE.

Location

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Natural Resources

fish, coconuts (copra), cinnamon trees

Population - distribution

more than three-quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin contains less than 10%; a smaller percent on La Digue and the outer islands

Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
VICTORIA (capital) 26,000 (2014)
Conventional long form
Republic of Seychelles
Conventional short form
Seychelles
Local long form
Republic of Seychelles
Local short form
Seychelles
presidential republic
Name
Victoria
Geographic coordinates
4 37 S, 55 27 E
Time difference
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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.
Inflation
-1.016%
External debt stocks
US$ 2,713,814,000
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
30.1%
Real Interest Rate
18.249%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
8.453%
Current Account Balance
US$ -256,181,313
Labor Force, Total
Employment in Agriculture
4.09%
Employment in Industry
15.51%
Employment in Services
80.40%
Unemployment Rate
5.50%
Imports of goods and services
US$ 1,396,842,653
Exports of goods and services
US$ 1,182,039,892
Total Merchandise Trade
104.45%
FDI, net inflows
US$ 105,893,597
Commercial Service Exports
US$ 839,204,241
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), copra, bananas; tuna
fishing, tourism, beverages
Commodities
canned tuna, frozen fish, petroleum products (reexports)
Partners
France 18%, UK 17.7%, Mauritius 9.9%, Japan 9.1%, Italy 7.7%, Spain 4.5% (2015)
Commodities
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods
Partners
Saudi Arabia 22.2%, Spain 11%, Singapore 7.3%, South Africa 4.6%, China 4.4% (2015)
Country Risk Rating
Business Climate Rating

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