Mauritius
Republic of Mauritius
parliamentary democracyIndependence 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Mauritius as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 130 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane.
The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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 poor weather, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Geography
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
20 fieldsLand useshare of 2,040 sq km
Climate
- tropical, modified by southeast trade winds;
- warm, dry winter (May to November);
- hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%)
- per capita:
- 488 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs;
- home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species
People
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2000 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 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:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Languages
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)
18 fieldsNational Assembly, 70 seats, elected 3 July 2005one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Mauritius
- conventional short form:
- Mauritius
- local long form:
- Republic of Mauritius
- local short form:
- Mauritius
Capital
- name:
- Port Louis
- geographic coordinates:
- 20 09 S, 57 29 E
- time difference:
- UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)
- 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 (eligible for a second term);
- election last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013);
- prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
- election results:
- Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2;
- appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2
Political parties and leaders
- Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD);
- Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM];
- Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER];
- Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan DOLLOO];
- Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Nando BODHA];
- Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN];
- Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL];
- Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY];
- Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Keerteecoomar RUHEE
- chancery:
- 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 966-0983
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Cesar CABRERA
- 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, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450
- telephone:
- [230] 202-4400
- FAX:
- [230] 208-9534
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, and tourist sectors.
50 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure.
The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings.
The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%, finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)
Industries
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Imports - commodities
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Exchange rates
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- small system with good service
- domestic:
- monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005;
- fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons;
- mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2007 reaching 75 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 230;
- landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
- new microwave link to Reunion;
- HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Military
No regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2008)
4 fieldsMilitary branches
no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2008)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius;
- claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs
- consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
- small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;
- significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Mauritius.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mauritius/2008.