Seychelles 2006
Yearbook 2006
Seychelles. In July, incumbent President James Michel was re-elected with 54% of the vote. Michel represents the Seychelles Progressive People’s Front (SPPF), which has been a ruling party since 1977. The main opponent, Wavel Ramkalawan of the Seychelles National Party (SNP), got 46%. The economy was the most important issue in the electoral movement and turnout was close to 89%.
According to CountryAAH, major public holidays in Seychelles include Independence Day (June 29) and New Year (January 1). About 100 people protested outside Parliament in early October in protest of the election of the elected officials by a law restricting private ownership of radio stations, which meant that the opposition’s hopes for its own radio station were shattered. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. Several people were injured, including opposition leader Ramkalawan. Critics said the police used too much force, and the president immediately investigated the matter.
Tourism, Seychelles’ main source of income, declined at the beginning of the year due to the so-called chikungunya virus. The mosquito-borne virus was transmitted from island to island in the Indian Ocean. By April, some 250,000 people in the region had been infected, including close to 10,000 in the Seychelles. The authorities have long tried to tone down the issue and did not speak as openly about the spread of infection as their colleagues in the other island nations.
Country data
Area: 457 km2 (world rank: 182)
Population: 96,000
Population density: 210 per km2 (as of 2017, world rank: 185)
Capital: Victoria
Official languages: Seselwa (Creole), English, French
Gross domestic product: 1.5 billion US $; Real growth: 4.2%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): US $ 14,180
Currency: 1 Seychelles rupee (SR) = 100 cents
Embassy
Buckingham Palace Road GB-London SW1W9
T +44 20 77 30 20 46,
Fax + 32 2 7336055
Email: [email protected]
Government
Heads of State and Government: Danny FaureVincent Meriton
National holiday: 5.6. (Liberation day 1977)
Administrative structure
25 districts
State and form of government
Constitution of 1993
Presidential republic (in the Commonwealth)
Parliament: National Assembly with 33 members, election every 5 years
Direct election of the head of state every 5 years (max. 2 terms of office)
Suffrage from 18 years.
Population of: Seychelles, last census 2010: 90,945 residents,
89.1% Creoles, 4.7% Indians, 3.1% Madagascans, 1.6% Chinese, 1.5% British, among others Malay and European minority
Cities (with population): (as of 2010) Victoria (Mahé) 25,507 residents.
Religions: 76% Catholics, 6% Anglicans, 2%; Minorities of Pentecostals, Hindus, Muslims, etc. (as of 2006)
Languages: 95% Seselwa (French: Creole); English and French
Employees by economic sector: no information
Unemployment (in% of all economically active persons)
no information
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 2.9%
Foreign trade: Import: 1.1 billion US $ (2017); Export: US $ 0.6 billion (2017)
