Mauritius

parliamentary democracyIndependence 12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mauritius as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPort Louis

Area1,860 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1.07 million July 1990 · 1.31m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 29.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 70.24 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2 children per woman 1990 · 1.36 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

20 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 11.4 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 6.1% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Total area

1,860km2

land area: 1,850 km2; includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (St. Brandon) and RodriguesComparative area: slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

177km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes

claims Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory;
claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Climate

tropical modified by southeast trade winds;
warm, dry winter (May to November);
hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Land use

54% arable land;
4% permanent crops;
4% meadows and pastures;
31% forest and woodland;
7% other;
includes 9% irrigated

Environment

subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs

Note

located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

People

14 fields

Population

1,070,005

(July 1990), growth rate 1.8% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

21Death

6Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Indo-Mauritian 68%Creole 27%Sino-Mauritian 3%Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religion

Hindu 51%Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans) 30%Muslim 17%other 2%

Literacy

82.8%

Nationality

noun--Mauritian(s); adjective--Mauritian

Language

English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori

Labor force

335,000;
29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other;
43% of population of working age (1985)

Organized labor

35% of labor force in more than 270 unions

Government

Parliamentary democracy

18 fields

Legislative Assembly, 70 seats, elected 30 August 1987one dot, one seat

(70 total, 62 elected) MSM 24MMM 21MLP 10PMSD 5others 10

Administrative divisions

5 urban councils and 3 district councils*;
Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Moka-Flacq*, North*, Port Louis, Quatre Bornes, South*, Vacoas-Phoenix;
note--there may now be 4 urban councils and 9 district councils* named Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Black River*, Curepipe, Flacq*, Grand Port*, Moka*, Pamplemousses*, Plaine Wilhems*, Port Louis*, Quartre Bornes, Riviere du Rempart*, Savanne*, and Vacoas-Phoenix

Legal system

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982);
Deputy Prime Minister Sir Satcam BOOLELL (since 15 August 1988)

Political parties and leaders

the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. Jugnauth, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), S. Boolell;
the main opposition union consists of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem Nababsing;
Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio Michel;
Democratic Labor Movement, Anil Baichoo;
Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. Duval

Suffrage

universal at age 18 Legislative Assembly--last held on 30 August 1987 (next to be held 30 August 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(70 total, 62 elected) MSM 24, MMM 21, MLP 10, PMSD 5, others 10

Communists

may be 2,000 sympathizers;
several Communist organizations;
Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's Committee, Mauritius Communist Party, Mauritius People's Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist League, Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle School Friendly Association, Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society

Other political or pressure groups

various labor unions

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING;
Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492;
US--Ambassador Penne KORTH;
Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers Building, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis;
telephone 082347

Flag

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy

The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.9billion

per capita $1,910; real growth rate 6.3% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

9.2%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

3.6%

(1988)

External debt

$670million

(December 1989)

Exports $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

textiles

44%sugar

40%light manufactures

10%

; partners--EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%

Imports $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988)

manufactured goods

50%capital equipment

17%foodstuffs

13%petroleum products

8%chemicals

; partners--EC, US, South Africa, Japan

Budget

Revenues

$351 millionExpenditures

$414 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $76 million (FY87 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Despite significant expansion in other sectors over the past decade, sugarcane remains dominant and is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area, accounting for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1988 was impressive, with 6.3% real growth rate and low unemployment.

Industrial production

growth rate 12.9% (FY87)

Electricity

233,000 kW capacity; 420 million kWh produced, 375 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Agriculture

accounts for 14% of GDP;
about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane;
other products--tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish;
net food importer, especially rice and fish

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $72 million;
Western (non-US) countries (1970-87), $538 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $54 million

Currency

Mauritian rupee (plural--rupees); 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1--15.033 (January 1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987), 13.466 (1986), 15.442 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger-cargo 1cargo 3petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 1liquefied gas 1bulk 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 143,029 GRT/ 248,754 DWT

Airports, 5 total, 4 usable

permanent-surface runways

2runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m