Seychelles (2001) | Finland (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
28.27% (male 11,367; female 11,167) 15-64 years: 65.47% (male 25,453; female 26,737) 65 years and over: 6.26% (male 1,673; female 3,318) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
18% (male 474,967; female 456,584) 15-64 years: 66.97% (male 1,750,660; female 1,715,358) 65 years and over: 15.03% (male 300,569; female 477,645) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish | cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
Airports | 14 (2000 est.) | 159 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total:
69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
total:
90 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 84 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
337,030 sq km land: 305,470 sq km water: 31,560 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Montana |
Background | A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. | Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by Russia from 1809, Finland finally won its independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999. |
Birth rate | 17.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$249 million expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues:
$36.1 billion expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Victoria | Helsinki |
Climate | tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) | cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes |
Coastline | 491 km | 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations) |
Constitution | 18 June 1993 | 17 July 1919 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles |
conventional long form:
Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen Tasavalta local short form: Suomi |
Currency | Seychelles rupee (SCR) | markka (FIM); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Finland at a fixed rate of 5.94573 markkaa per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Death rate | 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $240 million (1999 est.) | $30 billion (December 1993) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX: [358] (9) 174681 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
Disputes - international | claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $379 million (1997) |
Economic aid - recipient | $16.4 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | 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 1998-2000, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have hindered short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles ruppee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. | Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling more than one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2001 will be bolstered by strong private consumption, yet may be 1 or 2 points lower than in 2000, largely because of a weakening in export demand. |
Electricity - consumption | 148.8 million kWh (1999) | 81.611 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 232 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 11.356 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 160 million kWh (1999) | 75.792 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
41.88% hydro: 16.77% nuclear: 28.82% other: 12.53% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m |
Environment - current issues | water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater | air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans) | Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% |
Exchange rates | Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.0397 (November 2000), 5.6009 (2000), 5,3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8% |
chief of state:
President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995) cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esco AHO (Kesk) 48.4% note: government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green Union |
Exports | $111 million (f.o.b., 1999) | $44.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp |
Exports - partners | France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan | EU 58% (Germany 13%, Sweden 10%, UK 9%, France 5%, Netherlands 4%), US 8%, Russia, Japan (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side | white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $610 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $118.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3.1% industry: 26.3% services: 70.6% (1999) |
agriculture:
3.5% industry: 29% services: 67.5% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $22,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2000 est.) | 5.6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 35 S, 55 40 E | 64 00 N, 26 00 E |
Geography - note | 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain |
Highways | total:
373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997) |
total:
77,796 km paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) unpaved: 28,042 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991) |
Imports | $440 million (c.i.f., 1999) | $32.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains |
Imports - partners | South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy | EU 60% (Germany 15%, Sweden 11%, UK 7%), US 8%, Russia 7%, Japan 6% (1999) |
Independence | 29 June 1976 (from UK) | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 7.5% (2000) |
Industries | fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages | metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
Infant mortality rate | 17.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (1999 est.) | 3.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 23 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 640 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 30,900 (1996) | 2.6 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989) | public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
2,628 km border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km |
Land use | arable land:
2% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 11% other: 74% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
8% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 76% other: 16% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official), French (official), Creole | Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities |
Legal system | based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law | civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least ten percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%, UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1 note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote |
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green Union 11, SKL 10, other 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
70.69 years male: 65.17 years female: 76.37 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
77.58 years male: 73.92 years female: 81.36 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM) |
Merchant marine | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,353 GRT/7,638 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,808 GRT/1,138,175 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 11 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Coast Guard, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea Guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $13 million (FY93) | $1.8 billion (FY98) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.8% (FY93) | 2% (FY98) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
22,951 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,251,700 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
11,452 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,033,188 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 17 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
33,883 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 18 June (1993) | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
Nationality | noun:
Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychelles |
noun:
Finn(s) adjective: Finnish |
Natural hazards | lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible | NA |
Natural resources | fish, copra, cinnamon trees | timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver |
Net migration rate | -6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 580 km |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party | Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian Union or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green Union [Satu HASSI]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Sauli NIINISTO]; Reform Group [Risto KUISMA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Roman Catholic Church; trade unions | Communist Workers Party [Timo LAHDENMAKI]; Constitutional Rightist Party; Finnish Communist Party-Unity [Yrjo HAKANEN]; Finnish Pensioners Party |
Population | 79,715 (July 2001 est.) | 5,175,783 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.49% (2001 est.) | 0.16% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Victoria | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 42,000 (1997) | 7.7 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
5,865 km broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,192 km electrified; 480 km double or multiple track) (1998) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2% | Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
effective system domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment:
modern system with excellent service domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,635 (1997) | 2.861 million (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 16,316 (1999) | 2,162,574 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) | 130 (plus 385 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills |
Total fertility rate | 1.83 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 9.8% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | 6,675 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships |