hazards:
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
droughts possible
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
Note:
40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

@Seychelles, People

Population:
72,113 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.84% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
21.88 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-6.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.67 years
male:
66.05 years
female:
73.39 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.23 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective:
Seychelles
Ethnic divisions:
Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%
Languages:
English (official), French (official), Creole
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
58%
male:
56%
female:
60%
Labor force:
27,700 (1985)
by occupation:
industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture,
forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)
note:
57% of population of working age (1983)

@Seychelles, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form:
Seychelles
Digraph:
SE
Type:
republic
Capital:
Victoria
Administrative divisions:
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 Island),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis,
Takamaka
Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 18 June (1993) ( adoption of new constitution)
Constitution:
18 June 1993
Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); election last held
20- 23 July 1993; results