Capital

Seychellen

name: Victoria

geographic coordinates: 4 37 S, 55 27 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: founded as L'etablissement in 1778 by French colonists, the town was renamed in 1841 by the British after Queen VICTORIA (1819-1901); "victoria" is the Latin word for "victory"

Citizenship

Seychellen

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Seychellen

mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage

Seychellen

18 years of age; universal

Area

Seychellen

total: 455 sq km

land: 455 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Seychellen

agricultural land: 6.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 88.5% (2018 est.)

other: 5% (2018 est.)

Location

Seychellen

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Age structure

Seychellen

0-14 years: 17.95% (male 8,999/female 8,524)

15-64 years: 72.58% (male 37,677/female 33,177)

65 years and over: 9.47% (2023 est.) (male 3,956/female 5,284)

Birth rate

Seychellen

12.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Seychellen

6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Seychellen

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

Life expectancy at birth

Seychellen

total population: 76.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 72 years

female: 80.9 years

Major urban areas - population

Seychellen

28,000 VICTORIA (capital) (2018)

Median age

Seychellen

total: 38.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 37.7 years

female: 38.8 years

Net migration rate

Seychellen

0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Seychellen

more than three-quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin contains less than 10%; a smaller percent on La Digue and the outer islands as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Seychellen

0.6% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Seychellen

1.81 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Seychellen

urban population: 58.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Seychellen

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Seychellen

total: 15 years

male: 13 years

female: 16 years (2021)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Seychellen

-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Seychellen

3.63% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Seychellen

51,000 (2018 est.)

Population below poverty line

Seychellen

25.3% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Seychellen

3% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Seychellen

63.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

69.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Seychellen

8.28% (2020 est.)

2.07% (2019 est.)

3.7% (2018 est.)

Exports

Seychellen

$1.751 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.24 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.085 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Seychellen

United Arab Emirates 17%, United Kingdom 13%, France 12%, British Virgin Islands 11%, Zambia 9%, Mauritius 5%, Japan 5% (2019)

Imports

Seychellen

$1.821 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.332 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.025 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Seychellen

United Arab Emirates 21%, Qatar 13%, British Virgin Islands 7%, Germany 6%, France 6%, China 5%, Spain 5%, South Africa 5% (2019)

Airports

Seychellen

14 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Seychellen

total: 34,966 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Seychellen

total: 90,200 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 82% (2021 est.)

Roadways

Seychellen

total: 526 km (2015)

paved: 514 km (2015)

unpaved: 12 km (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

Seychellen

total subscriptions: 18,768 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Seychellen

total subscriptions: 184,161 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 173 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Seychellen

Seychelles-UK: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)