Part 740

Executive branch: chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results : President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 59.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (33 seats, 22 popularly elected by direct vote, 11 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 9 percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1 note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE]; Democratic Party or DP [Sir James MANCHAM]; United Opposition or UO [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN], Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD[Jacques HONDOUL], and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP [Ogilvie BERLOUIS]; New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)]

Political pressure groups and leaders: trade unions; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Claude MOREL chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900F, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 972-1785 FAX : (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has grown to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level, led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $450 million (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 3.6% industry: 15% services: 81.4% (1994)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: -0.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force: total: 26,000 (1996) by occupation: industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $220 million expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.)

Industries: tourism; fishing; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1992)

Electricity - capacity: 33,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 110 million kWh (1992)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,582 kWh (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fishing (expansion under way)

Exports: total value: $56.1 million ( f.o.b. 1995) commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (re-exports) partners : France, UK, China, Germany, Japan (1993)

Imports: total value: $238 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment partners: China, Singapore, South Africa, UK (1993)

Debt - external: $170 million (1994 est.)