Part 662

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 18% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 18% other: 60%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: no natural fresh water resources, catchments collect rain water natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People ------

Population: 77,575 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (male 12,005; female 11,835) 15-64 years: 63% (male 24,003; female 24,946) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,669; female 3,117) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.76% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 21.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.31 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.24 years male: 64.23 years female: 74.39 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1996 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 est.) total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles

Data code: SE

Type of government: 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)