rce (including Special
Service Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Seychelles

Introduction

Seychelles

Background: 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.

Geography Seychelles

Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast
of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 455 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical
marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to
September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly;
others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 13% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are
rare; short droughts possible

Environment - current issues: water supply depends on catchments to
collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: 40 granitic and
about 50 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population: 80,098 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 11,238; female 11,002) 15-64
years: 66% (male 25,763; female 27,086) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male
1,667; female 3,342) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.47% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.27 births/1,000 po