Seychelles

Monetary unit: Seychelles rupee
Languages: Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
Ethnicity/race: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.6% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.6), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)
Literacy rate: 91.8% (2011 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $2.404 billion; per capita $25,900. Real growth rate: 3.3%. Inflation: 4.3%. Unemployment: 2% (2006 est.). Arable land: 2.17%. Agriculture: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), copra, bananas; poultry; tuna. Labor force: 39,560 (2006); industry 23%, services 74%, agriculture 3% (2006). Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages. Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees. Exports: $516.7 million (2013 est.): canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports). Imports: $846.4 million (2013 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals, other manufactured goods. Major trading partners: UK, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Saudi Arabia (2012).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 28,900 (2012); mobile cellular: 138,300 (2012). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (2007).Television broadcast stations: 1. Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 247 (2012). Internet users: 32,000 (2008).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 508 km; paved: 490 km; unpaved: 18 km (2010). Ports and harbors: Victoria. Airports: 14 (2013).

Fun Facts

• Seychelles was once a pirate hideout, in particular, Anse Forbans (Pirate’s Cove) on Mahé and Côte d’Or on Praslin
• The native Coco de Mer, also known as the sea coconut or double coconut, produces the heaviest (about 15kg) and largest seed in the world.
• Breadfruit is very popular on the Seychelles and can be eaten in a variety of ways from fried to boiled.
• James Bond author Ian Fleming visited Seychelles in 1958 looking for adventure and inspiration for his then-latest collection of stories, For Your Eyes Only.
• If you go diving or snorkeling lookout for angelfish, butterflyfish, squirrelfish, and soldierfish – magical!
• Seychelles competed at every Olympics since 1980, except Seoul 1988, but has won no medals.