Mauritius

Republic of Mauritius

parliamentary democracyIndependence 12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mauritius as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 86 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

Position20 17 S, 57 33 E

Area1,860 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Populationas each edition published it

1.14 million July 1996 est. · 1.07m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.23% 1996 est. · 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 29.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.53 years 1996 est. · 70.24 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.24 children per woman 1996 est. · 2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

17.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 20 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,600 1995 est. · $2,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.7% 1995 est. · 6.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of | Madagascar

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Area

1,860sq km

land area: 1,850 sq kmcomparative area: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DCnote: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Coastline

177km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Irrigated land

170sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

International disputes

claims 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

lowest point:: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:: Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m

Land use

arable land:: 54%
permanent crops:: 4%
meadows and pastures:: 4%
forest and woodland:: 31%
other:: 7%

Environment

current issues:: water pollution
natural hazards:: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People

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Population

1,140,256

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.23% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

18.97Death

6.67Net migration

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.53

66.72 · 74.33

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy82.9%

87.1% · 78.8%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 27% (male 157,174; female 152,980)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 379,840; female 383,295)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 27,429; female 39,538) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.69 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Mauritian(s)
adjective:: Mauritian

Languages

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

Government

Parliamentary democracy; President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992) were elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly; Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995) were appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

65%

MMM/MLP 65%MSM/RMM 20%other 15%

Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form:: Mauritius

Data code

Type of government

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Port Louis

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

Independence

12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992) were elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly
head of government:: Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995) were appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly
cabinet:: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral

Legislative Assembly

elections last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000);
results - MMM/MLP 65%, MSM/RMM 20%, other 15%;
seats - (66 total; 62 elected, 4 appointed) MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2;
appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, Gaetan Duval Party 1, Hizballah 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

government coalition:: MLP/MMM alliance - Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLAM; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul BERENGER
opposition:: Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR;
Rodrigues Movement, Nicolas VONMALLY;
Gaetan Duval Party, Gaetan DUVAL;
Hizbullah, Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY;
Militant Socialist Movement (MSM);
Mauritian Militant Resurgence (MMR)

Other political or pressure groups

various labor unions

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Anund Priyay NEEWOOR
chancery:: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Leslie M. ALEXANDER
embassy:: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767

FAX

[230] 208-9534

Flag

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

Economy

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has | developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle | income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist | sectors.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$9,600

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

2.7%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 5.8% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

9.4%

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.4%

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$653 millionExpenditures

$567 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $143 million (FY92/93 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 340,000 kW

Electricity production

920 millionElectricity consumption per capita

777 (1993)

Economic overview

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure.

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 modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-93 continued strong with solid real growth and low unemployment.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture:: NA%
industry:: NA%
services:: NA%

Labor force

335,000; by occupation: government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22%

Industries

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

Agriculture

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses;
cattle, goats;
fish

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%
partners:: EU and US have preferential treatment, EU 77%, US 15%

Imports

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%
partners:: EU, US, South Africa, Japan

External debt

$996.8 million (1993 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 17.842 (January 1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 4 in all

2 438 to 3 047 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

1,831Railways

Highways: paved: 1,703 km (including 29 km of expressways) · unpaved: 128 km (1991 est.)

Highways

total:: 1,831 km
paved:: 1,703 km (including 29 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 128 km (1991 est.)

Ports

Port Louis

Merchant marine

total:: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 221,446 GRT/308,478 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 9, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

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

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Fixed lines

65,000

(1985 est.)

Telephone system

small system with good service

domestic:: primarily microwave radio relay
international:: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
new microwave link to Reunion;
HF radiotelephone links to several countries

males age 15-49:: 327,403
males fit for military service:: 166,466 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $11.2 million, 0.4% of GDP (FY92/93)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Mauritius.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mauritius/1996.

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