Mauritius

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

total:

0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%)

per capita:

488 cu m/yr (2000)

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

• 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 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 (2010 est.)

noun:

Mauritian(s)

adjective:

Mauritian

conventional long form:

Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form:

Mauritius

local long form:

Republic of Mauritius

local short form:

Mauritius

name:

Port Louis

geographic coordinates:

20 09 S, 57 29 E

time difference:

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

chief of state:

President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Monique OHSAN-BELLEPEAU (since 13 November 2010)

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; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term);
• elections last held on 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%

• Alliance of the Future or AF [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 Militant Socialist Movement or MMSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH];
• Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MSMM [Madan DULLOO];
• Mauritian Solidarity Front [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH];
• 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]

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joyker NAYECK

chancery:

1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492

FAX:

[1] (202) 966-0983

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mary Jo WILLS

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

• four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green;
• red represents the blood shed for independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island

name:

"Motherland"

lyrics/music:

Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL

note: adopted 1968

agriculture and fishing:

9%

construction and industry:

30%

transportation and communication:

7%

trade, restaurants, hotels:

22%

finance:

6%

other services:

25% (2007)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

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 2009 reaching 85 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 (2009)

• the government maintains control over TV broadcasting through the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which operates 3 analog and 10 digital TV stations;
• MBC is a shareholder in a local company that operates 2 pay TV stations;
• the state retains the largest radio broadcast network with multiple stations;
• several private radio broadcasters have entered the market since 2001;
• transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

total:

2,066 km

country comparison to the world: 172

paved:

2,066 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2009)

males age 16-49:

279,405

females age 16-49:

283,023 (2010 est.)

male:

10,565

female:

10,447 (2010 est.)

• 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

• 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