At a Glance

Official Name: Republic of Seychelles

Continent: Africa

Area: 175 square miles (455 sq. km)

Population: 79,715

Capital City: Victoria

Largest City: Victoria (25,000)

Unit of Money: Seychelles rupee

Major Languages: Creole, English, French

Literacy: 58%

Land Use: 2% arable, 13% permanent crops, 11% forests, 74% other

Natural Resources: Fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Government: Republic

Defense: 13.7 million

The Place

Seychelles is a country of about 90 islands in the Indian Ocean 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) east of the African mainland. It has a total land area of 175 square miles (455 square kilometers). About 85% of the people live on Mahe, the largest island. Most of the rest live on the next largest islands, Praslin and La Digue. Many smaller islands are uninhabited. Victoria, on Mahe, is the nation's capital, chief port, and only major town. Seychelles consists of granite islands and coral islands. The granite islands have streams, mountains, and sandy beaches. The soil is rocky, making farming difficult. The coral group is atolls—ring-shaped coral islands—and low islands that rise a few feet above sea level. Cinnamon and coconut palms grow wild on much of Seychelles. The coco-de-mer, a double coconut that weighs as much as 50 pounds (23 kilograms) and is the world's largest seed, grows only in Seychelles. Seychelles has a hot, moist climate. Annual temperatures average from 75° F (24° C) to 86° F (30° C).

The People

About 90% of the people of Seychelles are of mixed African and European ancestry. Other segments of the population are Chinese, Europeans of British or French origin, and people from India. About half of the people live in towns. About a third of Seychellois workers are employed by the government. Another 25% work in the construction or tourism industries, and about 15% are farmers. Life expectancy is 71 years. Most people speak Creole, a dialect of French. The country's official languages are Creole, English, and French. Most Seychellois children attend school from the age 6 to 15. Those who wish to go on join the National Youth Service, a program that provides academic instruction. Students also learn development skills such as farming and fishing.