A rotary vane compressor comprising a cylinder, a rotor rotatably mounted within the cylinder and cooperating with an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder to define a compression chamber therebetween, two side plates for closing both ends of the cylinder, at least one vane slidably mounted to the rotor for movement radially toward and away from the rotor through an outer peripheral surface thereof and dividing the compression chamber into a plurality of spaces, and a chip seal provided on a forward end of the vane for slidably engaging with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder. The sealing efficiency of the chip seal is increased by introducing the pressure in a central portion of the rotor into the forward end of the vane.