Seychelles | Facts & Information

Facts & Figures

• Republic of Seychelles

  President: Wavel Ramkalawan (2020)

  Total area: 176 sq mi (456 sq km)

  Population (2022 est.): 97,017 (growth rate: .64%); birth rate: 12.37/1000; infant mortality rate: 10.6/1000; life expectancy: 76.1.

  Capital and largest city (2022 est.): Victoria, 28,000

  Monetary unit: Seychelles rupee

  Current government officials

  Languages: Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)

  Ethnicity/race: predominantly Creole (mainly of East African and Malagasy heritage); also French, Indian, Chinese, and Arab populations

  Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.6% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecoastal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.6), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)

  Literacy rate: 95.9% (2018 est.)

  Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2020 est.): $2.4 billion; per capita $24,400. Real growth rate: 5.3%. Inflation: 1.8%. Unemployment: 3% (2017 est.). Arable land: 2.2%. Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), copra, bananas; poultry; tuna. Labor force: 51,000 (2018); industry 23%, services 74%, agriculture 3% (2006). Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages. Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees. Exports: $1.09 billion (2020 est.): canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports). Major trading partners (exports): United Arab Emirates 17%, United Kingdom 13%, France 12%, British Virgin Islands 11%, Zambia 9%, Mauritius 5%, Japan 5% (2019): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods. Imports: 1.35 billion (2019); recreational boats, refined petroleum, fish, aircraft, cars. Major trading partners (imports): United Arab Emirates 21%, Qatar 13%, British Virgin Islands 7%, Germany 6%, France 6%, China 5%, Spain 5%, South Africa 5% (2019). 

  Member of Commonwealth of Nations

  Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 18,882 (2020); mobile cellular: 183,498 (2020). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (2007); the national broadcaster, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), which is funded by taxpayer money, operates the only terrestrial TV station, which provides local programming and airs broadcasts from international services; a privately owned Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) channel also provides local programming multi-channel cable and satellite TV are available through 2 providers; the national broadcaster operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; there are 2 privately operated radio stations; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Victoria (2019). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 247 (2012). Internet users: 77,785 (2020).

  Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 526 km km; paved: 514 km; unpaved: 12 km (2015). Ports and harbors: Victoria. Airports: 14 (2021).

  International disputes: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory).

  Major sources and definitions