1988 Edition

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (1970-81), $4.0 billion

Boundary disputes

none; claims island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims Frenchadministered Tromelin Island

none; claimed by

Climate

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

Coastline

177 km

165 km (excluding islets)

Comparative area

smaller than Rhode Island

about twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Continental shelf

edge of continental margin or 200 nm

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

Environment

subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs

Ethnic divisions

68% Indo-Mauritian, 27% Creole, 3% Sino-Mauritian, 2% Franco-Mauritian

Extended economic zone

200 nm

200 nm

Fiscal year

probably calendar year

Infant mortality rate

28/1,000 (1985)

Labor force

335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; about 15-20% unemployed

Land use

54% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated

Language

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

Life expectancy

67

Literacy

79%

Member of

AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, CEAO, CIPEC (associate), EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDE— Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, QIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Monetary conversion rate

7.974 French francs=US$l (31 October 1983)

Nationality

noun — Mauritian(s); adjective— Mauritian

Organized labor

about 35% of labor force, forming over 270 unions

Population

1,079,627 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 1.87%

Religion

51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans), 17% Muslim

Special notes

none

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Territorial sea

12 nm

12 nm

Total area

1,860 km2; land area: 1,850 km2

375 km2; land area: 375 km2

Administrative divisions

5 organized municipalities and various island dependencies

Branches

executive power exercised by Prime Minister and 19-member Council of Ministers; unicameral legislature (Legislative Assembly) with 62 members elected by direct suffrage, eight specially elected under the so called best loser system

Capital

Port Louis

Communists

may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist organizations; Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's Committee, Mauritius Communist Party, Mauritius People's Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist League, Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle School Friendly Association, Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society

Elections

legislative August 1983 Political parties and leaders: the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) led by A. Jugnauth, the Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD) led by G. Duval, the Mauritian Workers' Assembly (RTM) led by Beergoonath Ghurburrun, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP) faction, led by party head S. Boolell; the main opposition party is the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) led by P. Berenger.

Government leader

Aneerood JUGNAUTH, Prime Minister (since June 1982)

Legal system

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; constitution adopted 6 March 1968

Member of

AfDB, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 March

Official name

Mauritius

Other political or pressure groups

various labor unions

Suffrage

universal over age 18

Type

independent state, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Voting strength

MSM, 30 of 70 seats in the Assembly; MMM, 21; MLP, 11; PMSD, 4; OPR, 2; and independents, 2

Agriculture

most Mauritanians are nomads or subsistence farmers; livestock, cereals, vegetables, dates; cash crop — gum arabic

sugar crop is a major economic asset; about 90% of cultivated land area is planted in sugar; also sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco; most food imported

Budget

$225 million budgeted in 1984; $184 million revenues (planned 1984)

as percent of GDP, revenues 22.7%, external grants 1.6%, current expenditures 23.7%; capital expenditures, 4.9% (1986/87)

Electric power

57,000 kW capacity; 74 million kWh produced, 43 kWh per capita (1986)

237,000 kW capacity; 373 million kWh produced, 370 kWh per capita (1986)

Exports

$340 million (f.o.b., 1986); iron ore, processed fish, and small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum; also unrecorded but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal

$442 million (merchandise, f.o.b., 1985); sugar about 40%, Export Processing Zone exports about 50%

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 July-30 June

Fishing

catch, 53,800 metric tons (1983)

GDP

$1.0 billion, $940 per capita; 6% real growth rate (1985/86 est.)

GNP

$800 million, $450 per capita (1985 est.)

Imports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1986); foodstuffs and other consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods

$463 million (f.o.b., 1985); food, petroleum products, manufactured goods

Major industries

mining of iron ore and gypsum, fish processing

mainly food manufacturing (largely sugar milling), textiles and wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, and nonelectrical machinery

Major trade partners

France and other EC members, Senegal, and US

all EC countries and US have preferential treatment, UK buys almost all of Mauritius's sugar export at subsidized prices; small amount of sugar exported to Canada, US, and Italy; nonoil imports from UK and EC primarily, also from South Africa, Australia, US, and Japan; some minor trade with China

Monetary conversion rate

73.7 ouguiyas=US$l (30 September 1986)

13.34 Mauritian rupees=US$l (November 1986)

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish

Airfields

31 total, 30 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, paramilitary National Guard, paramilitary National Police, paramilitary Presidential Guard, paramilitary Nomad Security Guards

paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

3 major transport aircraft

1 major transport aircraft

Highways

7,540 km total; 1,350 km paved; 710 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved; 5,480 km unimproved

2,000 km total; 1,200 km paved, 800 km earth

2,800 km total; 2,200 km paved, 600 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized earth

Inland waterways

800 km

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 30 June 1983, $13.45 million; 3.2% of central government budget Mayotte 3 lie M'Zambourou Administered by France, claimed by Comoros OZAOUpZI/X 0 lie Pamanzi BandrM I Set rt|ionil mip VII ~ Mozambique Channel

Military manpower

males 15-49, 412,000; 200,000 fit for military service; conscription law not implemented Agalega Islands Cargadi Caraios Shoals, and Rodnguas ara not shown See region*.] map VII

males 15-49, 297,000; 154,000 fit for military service

males 15-49, 144,000; 75,000 fit for military service; 6,000 reach military age (18) annually

Ports

2 major (Nouadhibou and Nouakchott)

1 major (Port Louis)

1 major (Port de la Pointe des Galets at Le Port)

Railroads

740 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track, privately owned

none

Telecommunications

poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor radiorelay links, and radio communications stations; 5,200 telephones (0.3 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 ARABSAT satellite ground stations Defense Forces

small system with good service; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; 48,000 telephones (4.7 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV stations; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

adequate system for needs; modern open-wire line and radiorelay network; principal center SaintDenis; radiocommunication to Comoros Islands, France, Madagascar; new radiorelay route to Mauritius; 85,900 telephones (15.9 per 100 popl.); 3 AM, 13 FM stations; 2 TV stations with 17 relay transmitters; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station Defense Forces Defense is the responsibility of France