The population of Seychelles is 119,878, according to the latest estimated figures of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), following a population and housing census completed in 2022.
The figures for the census in 2010 was 89,770 and the latest results show an additional 30,108 inhabitants, an increase of 33 percent.
According to NBS, the information collected from the census alone recorded a population of 102,612.
A statistician from NBS, Burny Payet, told SNA that the 119,878 figure is estimated because “we did not cover the whole population during the census for various reasons and we had to check our data against other sources, such as the national population database and border crossing records, in order to get a more accurate representation of the population of Seychelles.”
The NBS explained that they had numerous difficulties in collecting data during the census as they could not get access to every home for various reasons.
“We had issues, where people did not let us into the homes, people not being present during the exercise, while some outright refused to participate in the census,” explained Tania Pouponneau, another statistician at the NBS.
One of the main reasons why people did not participate in the census was mainly due to misinformation.
“During the census, there was a lot of false information being spread on social media, mainly about the information being collected, among other things, which caused many people to have doubts about the exercise and so, refused to contribute,” said statistician Ryan Madeleine.
NBS pointed out that this census had the highest percentage of non-response from households approached.
Aside from collecting data on the size of Seychelles’ population, the census also collected data on various other areas.
The 2022 census recorded a major increase in the number of non-Seychellois currently residing in the country, which is estimated at 19,026, representing 16 percent of the total population.
Among the non-Seychellois population residing in Seychelles – 46.4 percent are Indian, 9.3 percent are Sri Lankan and 5.8 percent are Bangladeshi. They are known to primarily work in the construction and farming sectors.
Additionally, 81.7 percent of non-Seychellois are male, mostly aged between 25 to 54 years old.
In the same report for the NBS, 20 percent of Seychelles’ population is below the age of 15, with 9 percent 65 years and above, while 71 percent of the population is aged between 15 to 64 years old.