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.

Socialist 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 re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004.

Vice President James Michel took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 81,895 (July 2007 est.)

---

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 10,504/female 10,272) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 27,405/female 28,706) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,590/female 3,418) (2007 est.)

---

Median age: total: 28.4 years male: 27.3 years female: 29.4 years (2007 est.)

---

Population growth rate: 0.432% (2007 est.)

---

Birth rate: 15.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

---

Death rate: 6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

---

Net migration rate: -5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

---

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.955 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.465 male(s)/female total population: 0.932 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

---

Infant mortality rate: total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

---

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.34 years male: 66.98 years female: 77.86 years (2007 est.)

---

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)

---

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

---

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

---

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

---

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)

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 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. Growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2004. Growth turned negative again in 2005-06. 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 may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

---

GDP (purchasing power parity): $626 million (2002 est.)

---

GDP (official exchange rate): $712 million (2006 est.)

---

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2006 est.)

---

GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,800 (2002 est.)

---

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 30.1% services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

---

Labor force: 30,900 (1996)

---

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989)

---

Unemployment rate: NA%

---

Population below poverty line: NA%

---

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

---

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.7% (2006 est.)

---

Investment (gross fixed): 44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

---

Budget: revenues: $371.1 million expenditures: $376 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

---

Public debt: 166.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

---

Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

---

Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

---

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

---

Electricity - production: 208 million kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - consumption: 193.4 million kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

---

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

---

Oil - consumption: 5,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

---

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

---

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

---

Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

---

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

---

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

---

Current account balance: -$78.59 million (2006 est.)

---

Exports: $365.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

---

Exports - commodities: canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

---

Exports - partners: UK 26.3%, France 18.1%, Italy 12.3%, Japan 8.5%, Spain 8.3%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006)

---

Imports: $570.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

---

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

---

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 17.6%, South Africa 9.6%, Spain 8.1%, France 7.5%, Singapore 7.2%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4% (2006)

---

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $44.78 million (2006 est.)

---

Debt - external: $616.7 million (2006 est.)

---

Economic aid - recipient: $16.4 million (1995)

---

Currency (code): Seychelles rupee (SCR)

---

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002)

---

Fiscal year: calendar year