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Republic of Seychelles
President: James Michel (2004)
Total area: 176 sq mi (456 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 81,541 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 16.0/1000;
infant mortality rate: 15.1/1000; life expectancy: 72.1; density per sq mi: 463
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Victoria, 23,000
Monetary unit: Seychelles rupee
Languages: Seselwa Creole 92%, English 5%, French (all official) (2002)
Ethnicity/race: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Anglican 6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other
Christian 3%, Hindu 2%, Muslim 1%, none 1%
Literacy rate: 58% (1971 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2002 est.): $626 million; per capita $7,800. Real
growth rate: 3% (2005 est.). Inflation: 4.4% (2005 est.). Unemployment: n.a.
Arable land: 2%. Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes,
cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna. Labor force: 30,900 (1996); industry
19%, services 71%, agriculture 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: $312.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon
bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports). Imports: $459.9 million f.o.b.
(2005 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals.
Major trading partners: UK, France, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia,
Singapore, South Africa (2004).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 19,635 (1997); mobile cellular:
16,316 (1999). 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 (2000).
Internet users: 9,000 (2002).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 373 km; paved: 315 km; unpaved:
58 km (1997 est.). Ports and harbors: Victoria. Airports: 14 (2002).
International disputes: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
Indian Ocean Territory).
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