Seychelles

Republic of Seychelles

Geography 

Capital: Victoria
Major Towns: Victoria, Anse royal, Cascade, Takamaka, Anse boileau
Location (geographical coordinates/latitude and longitude): Victoria: 4°35'S, 55°40'E
Time Zone: SCT (UTC+4)
Size (Land and Sea): 451 km²; Water %: negligible
Borders with: Seychelles is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,600 km east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest, and the Suvadives of the Maldives to the northeast.
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
 
Politics  

Head of State: President: James Michel
Form of Government: Republic
Independancy (from UK): 29 June 1976
Currency: Seychellois Rupee
 
Industry 

Main industries: Tourism, tuna fishing, farming, small-scale manufacturing
Other industries: Processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages.
Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna
 
Population and People  

Population:  81,895 (2007 est.); 80,654 (2005 est.), smallest population of any sovereign state of Africa
Population density per sq mi: 465
Growth rate:  0.43 percent (2007 estimate)
Birth rate: 15.8 per 1,000 population (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.8/1000
Religion: Most Seychellois are Christians, the Roman Catholic Church is the predominant denomination (90% in 1992), Anglican 7%.
Languages: English, French, Seychellois Creole
Ethnic groups / Tribes: Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of immigrants, mostly of French, African, Indian, and Chinese descent
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.)
Life expectancy: 72.3
Literacy: 57%