Mauritius

Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent protests over standards of living in the Creole community have slowed economic growth.

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

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

0-14 years:

26% (male 153,385; female 149,451)

15-64 years:

68% (male 401,032; female 403,295)

65 years and over:

6% (male 28,981; female 43,224) (2000 est.)

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:

0.67 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Mauritian(s)

adjective:

Mauritian

conventional long form:

Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form:

Mauritius

chief of state:

President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997)

head of government:

Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (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 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
• prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly

election results:

Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA

• Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH];
• Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] - governing party;
• Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER];
• Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING];
• Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Xavier-Luc DUVAL];
• Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH];
• Organization of the People of Rodrigues or OPR [Louis Serge CLAIR];
• Rodrigues Movement [Nicholas Von MALLY]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mark W. ERWIN

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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

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

total:

1,910 km

paved:

1,834 km (including 36 km of expressways)

unpaved:

76 km (1998 est.)

total:

12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 126,358 GRT/173,079 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 3, combination bulk 2, container 4, liquified gas 1, refrigerated cargo 2 (1999 est.)

note: a flag of convenience registry; India owns 1 ship (1998 est.)

• minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
• small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]