Mauritius

Republic of Mauritius

parliamentary democracyIndependence 12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mauritius as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalPort Louis
Position20 17 S, 57 33 E
Area1,860 sq km
LocationSouthern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
1997

Every edition of Mauritius

Populationas each edition published it
1.15 million July 1997 est. · 1.07m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.21% 1997 est. · 0.95% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 29.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
70.71 years 1997 est. · 70.24 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.23 children per woman 1997 est. · 2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
16.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 20 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$10,300 1996 est. · $2,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 1996 est. · 6.1% in 1993

Geography

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

17 fields

Land useshare of 1,860 sq km

arable land 49%permanent pastures 3%forests and woodland 22%other 23% (1993 est.)permanent crops 3% in all · irrigated 170 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
1,860sq km
land: 1,850 sq kmwater: 10 sq kmnote: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodriguesalmost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
177km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
828m
Piton de la Petite Riviere Noirelowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

20 17 S, 57 33 E

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

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Natural hazards

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

People

15 fields
Population
1,154,272
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.21% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
18.81Death
6.68Net migration
0

Ethnic groups

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%
Literacy
82.9%
definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale : 87.1%female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
27% (male 155,779; female 151,964) 15-64 years : 67% (male 387,406; female 391,167)
65 years and over:
6% (male 27,719; female 40,237) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1 male(s)/female
under 15 years :
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
70.71 years
male:
66.88 years
female :
74.53 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.23 children born/woman (1997 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 GHURBURRUN (since 1 July 1992); Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

65%
MLP/MMM 65%MSM/RMM 20%other 15%last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000)

National Assembly, 66 seats, elected 20 December 1995one dot, one seat

MLP 35MMM 25allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2PMSD 1Hizbullah 1

Percent of vote

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

Country name

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRUN (since 1 July 1992)
head of government:
Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:
  • president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms;
  • election last held NA June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997);
  • prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly
election results :
Cassam UTEEM elected president and Rabindranath GHURBURRUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA

Legislative branch

  • unicameral National Assembly (66 seats - 62 popularly elected, 4 appointed; members serve five-year terms);
  • note - the election commission appoints four members from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities
elections:
last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/RMM 20%, other 15%;
  • seats by party - MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2;
  • appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

government coalition :
MLP/MMM alliance, consisting of Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navin RAMGOOLAM] and Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]
opposition:
  • MSM/MSR alliance consisting of the Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] and the Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING];
  • Organization of the People of Rodrigues or OPR [Louis Serge CLAIR];
  • Mauritius Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Xavier-Luc DUVAL];
  • Hizbullah [Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY]

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, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission :
Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL (8 July 1996)
embassy:
4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address:
International Mail: P.O. Box 544, Port Louis; US

Mail

American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450; telephone : [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767

FAX

[230] 208-9534

Flag description

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 a middle | income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial | services, and tourist sectors.

22 fields
Real growth rate
5%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 5.8% (1992)
Unemployment rate
2.4%
(1991 est.)
Labor force
479,500
(1993 est.)by occupation: construction and industry 37%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 15%, trade, restaurants, hotels 14%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3%

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 9.3%industry 31.6%services 59.1% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$732 millionExpenditures
$550 million
expenditures including capital expenditures of $123 million (FY94/95 est.)

Economy - overview

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial services, 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 25% 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 1991-96 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $10,300 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

235,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production

425 million kWh (1991)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:
$1.57 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:
clothing and textiles 67%, sugar 25%
partners:
UK 34%, France 21%, US 15%, Germany 6%, Italy 4%

Imports

total value:
$1.98 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities :
manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%
partners:
France 20%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 6%, Germany 5%

Debt - external

$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 - 18.528 (January 1997), 17.948 (1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

6 fields
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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

395,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1987 est.) note: two new subscription channels began operation in 1995

Televisions

151,096 (1991 est.)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
2
total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1

Networkskm

Highways
1,877Railways
0
Highways: paved: 1,746 km (including 29 km of expressways) · unpaved : 131 km (1995 est.)

Highways

total:
1,877 km
paved:
1,746 km (including 29 km of expressways)
unpaved :
131 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 221,147 GRT/309,513 DWT
ships by type :
bulk 1, cargo 9, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports

4 (1996 est.)

Military

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

5 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 333,029 (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs

  • illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  • heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems MAYOTTE (territorial collectivity of France)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Mauritius.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mauritius/1997.

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