01
Physical geography
Mahe Group is volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky, hilly interior; others are relatively flat coral atolls, or elevated reefs; sits atop the submarine Mascarene Plateau.
Local timeVictoria ·
Africa / Eastern Africa · Card 046
Seychelles
Seychelles is a country in Eastern Africa. Its capital is Victoria.
Find Seychelles
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Victoria
- Languages
- Seychellois Creole & English & French
- Currency
- Seychellois rupee (SCR)
- Population
- 122,7302025 · World Bank
- Area
- 452 km²175 square miles
- Independence
- 1976from the UK
Seychelles in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Victoria; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Seychellois Creole, English, French.
03
Location
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar.
Flag
Five expanding bands of blue, yellow, red, white, and green, radiating from the bottom left corner
History & independence
Seychelles became independent from Britain on 29 June 1976 after negotiations. A coup in 1977 introduced one-party rule. A new constitution and multiparty elections followed in 1993.
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Independence from Britain
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A coup changes the government
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A new constitution restores multiparty politics
Economy
Main activities
Tourism, fishing and fish processing are central to the economy. Its island setting creates opportunities in ocean-related activities but also dependence on imported fuel, food and manufactured goods.
Industry and production
fishing, tourism, beverages
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people122.72025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 53,600 | 53.600 |
| 1980 | 63,261 | 63.261 |
| 1990 | 69,507 | 69.507 |
| 2000 | 81,131 | 81.131 |
| 2010 | 89,770 | 89.770 |
| 2020 | 98,462 | 98.462 |
| 2025 | 122,730 | 122.730 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars2.12025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 610,261,195 | 0.610 |
| 1991 | 627,107,005 | 0.627 |
| 1992 | 672,089,666 | 0.672 |
| 1993 | 721,174,866 | 0.721 |
| 1994 | 703,602,944 | 0.704 |
| 1995 | 707,015,677 | 0.707 |
| 1996 | 777,702,722 | 0.778 |
| 1997 | 872,533,006 | 0.873 |
| 1998 | 894,062,243 | 0.894 |
| 1999 | 910,799,133 | 0.911 |
| 2000 | 949,537,227 | 0.950 |
| 2001 | 927,971,690 | 0.928 |
| 2002 | 939,226,436 | 0.939 |
| 2003 | 883,932,969 | 0.884 |
| 2004 | 858,736,867 | 0.859 |
| 2005 | 936,072,663 | 0.936 |
| 2006 | 1,024,120,861 | 1.024 |
| 2007 | 1,115,022,509 | 1.115 |
| 2008 | 1,084,627,595 | 1.085 |
| 2009 | 1,057,735,599 | 1.058 |
| 2010 | 1,105,387,984 | 1.105 |
| 2011 | 1,210,507,987 | 1.211 |
| 2012 | 1,248,162,998 | 1.248 |
| 2013 | 1,263,811,654 | 1.264 |
| 2014 | 1,315,169,065 | 1.315 |
| 2015 | 1,432,403,352 | 1.432 |
| 2016 | 1,605,975,219 | 1.606 |
| 2017 | 1,717,657,340 | 1.718 |
| 2018 | 1,802,500,556 | 1.803 |
| 2019 | 1,901,895,701 | 1.902 |
| 2020 | 1,678,615,793 | 1.679 |
| 2021 | 1,687,886,479 | 1.688 |
| 2022 | 1,854,657,827 | 1.855 |
| 2023 | 1,950,725,578 | 1.951 |
| 2024 | 2,016,010,010 | 2.016 |
| 2025 | 2,132,897,397 | 2.133 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.848Very High human developmentRank 54 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20100.758
20200.853
20230.848
72.9 yearsLife expectancy at birth
11.2 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. National Assembly has one chamber (a unicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Seychelles.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
In which year did this event occur in Seychelles: A new constitution restores multiparty politics?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.