Economía - descripción: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-99, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors.

Producto Bruto Interno (PBI): purchasing power parity - $590 million (1999 est.)

PBI - Indice de Incremento real: 1.8% (1999 est.)

PBI - por capital: purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1999 est.)

PBI - Composición por Sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 21%
services: 75% (1996)

Población bajo linea de pobertad: NA%

Ingreso en casa o porcentage de consumción:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Indice de Inflación (precios del consumidor): 3% (1999)

Fuerza Laboral: 26,000 (1996)

Fuerza Laboral - por ocupación: industry 19%, services 57%, government 14%, fishing, agriculture, and forestry 10% (1989)

Indice de desempleo: NA%

Presupuesto:
revenues: $220 million
expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1994 est.)

Industrias: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricidad - Producción: 125 million kWh (1998)

Electricidad - producción por fuente:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

Electricidad - consumción: 116 million kWh (1998)

Electricidad - exportaciones: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricidad - importaciones: 0 kWh (1998)

Agricultura - productos: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Exportaciones: $91 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exporationes - comodidades: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

Exportaciones - socios: France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan

Importaciones: $403 million (c.i.f., 1998)

Importaciones - comodidades: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Importaciones - socios: South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy

Deuda - externa: $149 million (1997 est.)

Ayuda economica - recipiente: $16.4 million (1995)

Moneda: 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Indice de intercambio: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.3060 (September 1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995)

A�o Fiscal: calendar year