Mauritius

parliamentary democracyIndependence 12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mauritius as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 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

LocationSouthern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of

Populationas each edition published it

1.12 million July 1994 est. · 1.07m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.92% 1994 est. · 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

2.22 children per woman 1994 est. · 2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 20 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,800 1993 est. · $2,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

6.3% 1992 est. · 6.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of | Madagascar

25 fields

Coastline

177km

land boundaries: 0 km

Irrigated land

170sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of Madagascar

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

1,860 sq km

land area

1,850 sq km

comparative area

slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC

note

includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or the edge of continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

claims UK-administered 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

arable land

54%

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

31%

other

current issues

water pollution

natural hazards

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

People

22 fields

Population

1,116,923

(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.92% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth

19.28Death

6.41Net migration

-3.67

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Hindu 52%Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%)Muslim 16.6%other 3.1%

Labor force

335,000

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1990)

Infant mortality rate

18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

70.54 years

male

66.62 years

female

74.63 years (1994 est.)

noun

Mauritian(s)

adjective

Mauritian

Languages

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

total population

80%

male

85%

female

75%

by occupation

government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22%

note

43% of population of working age (1985)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

31 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53%

MSM/MMM 53%MLP/PMSD 38%

Legislature, 62 seatsone dot, one seat

(70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2) 59MLP/PMSD 3

conventional long form

Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form

Mauritius

Administrative divisions

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Legal system

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

chief of state

President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992); Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992)

head of government

Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative Assembly

elections last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be held by 15 September 1996);
results - MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%;
seats - (70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2);
MLP/PMSD 3

government coalition

Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH;
Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem NABABSING (less 12 legislators under the leadership of Paul BERENGER, now voting with the opposition);
Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR;
Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO

opposition

Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN;
Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL;
Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), X. DUVAL;
MMM-Berenger Faction, Paul BERENGER

Other political or pressure groups

various labor unions

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Anund NEEWOOR

chancery

Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 244-1491 or 1492

FAX

(202) 966-0983

chief of mission

Ambassador Leslie ALEXANDER

embassy

4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis

mailing address

use Embassy street address

telephone

[230] 208-9763 through 208-9767

FAX

[230] 208-9534

Flag

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

Economy

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

26 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$7,800

(1993 est.)

Real growth rate

6.3%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

4.6%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.4%

(1991 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1992 was impressive, with 6% real growth and low unemployment.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.6 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$557 million

expenditures

$607 million, including capital expenditures of $111 million (1990 est.)

Exports

$1.32 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%

partners

EC and US have preferential treatment, EU 77%, US 15%

Imports

$1.63 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%

partners

EC, US, South Africa, Japan

External debt

$991 million (1992 est.)

capacity

235,000 kW

production

630 million kWh

consumption per capita

570 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 10% 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; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million;
Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $709 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $54 million

Currency

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 18.696 (January 1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991), 14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

12 fields

total

1,800 km

paved

1,640 km

unpaved

earth 160 km

Ports

Port Louis

Merchant marine

14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 162,387 GRT/260,552 DWT, bulk 6, cargo 7, liquefied gas 1

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

small system with good service utilizing primarily microwave radio relay;
new microwave link to Reunion;
high-frequency radio links to several countries;
over 48,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

National Police Force, including the paramilitary Special Mobile Force | (SMF), Special Support Units (SSU), and National Coast Guard

4 fields

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →

Geography

total area

land area

comparative area

note

contiguous zone

continental shelf

exclusive economic zone

territorial sea

arable land

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

other

current issues

natural hazards

international agreements

People

total population

male

female

noun

adjective

total population

male

female

by occupation

note

Government

conventional long form

conventional short form

chief of state

head of government

cabinet

government coalition

opposition

chief of mission

chancery

chief of mission

embassy

mailing address

Economy

revenues

expenditures

commodities

partners

commodities

partners

capacity

production

consumption per capita

recipient

Communications

total

paved

unpaved

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Defense Forces

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