1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 1,860 km2 land area: 1,850 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Climate
tropical modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline
177 km
Environment
subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
International disputes
claims UK-administered Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Irrigated land
170 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 54% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 31% other: 7%
Location
Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of Madagascar
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
arable land, fish
Terrain
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
People and Society
Birth rate
19.67 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Infant mortality rate
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
335,000 by occupation: government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22% note: 43% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.24 years male: 66.34 years female: 74.3 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 13 and over can read and write (1962) total population: 61% male: 72% female: 50%
Nationality
noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian
Net migration rate
-3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
1,106,516 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.95% (1993 est.)
Religions
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Total fertility rate
2.23 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
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)
Capital
Port Louis
Chief of State
President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992); Vice President Robin Dranooth GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992)
Constitution
12 March 1968
Digraph
MP
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING chancery: Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-1491 or 1492
Executive branch
president, vice president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
FAX
[230] 208-9534
Flag
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
Head of Government
Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
Legislative Assembly
last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be held by 15 September 1996); results - MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%; seats - (70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2); MLP/PMSD 3
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Other political or pressure groups
various labor unions
Political parties and leaders
government coalition: Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul BERENGER; Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR; Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO opposition: Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), X. DUVAL
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador vacant embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis telephone: [230] 208-9763 through 208-9767
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 10% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane; other products - tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish; net food importer, especially rice and fish
Budget
revenues $557 million; expenditures $607 million, including capital expenditures of $111 million (FY90)
Currency
1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $709 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $54 million
Electricity
235,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced, 570 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 16.982 (January 1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991), 14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988)
Exports
$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10% partners: EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%
External debt
$869 million (1991 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Imports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7% partners: EC, US, South Africa, Japan
Industrial production
growth rate 7% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP
Industries
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7% (FY91)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion (FY91 est.)
National product per capita
$2,300 (FY91 est.)
National product real growth rate
6.1% (FY91 est.)
Overview
The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in FY91 was impressive, with 6% real growth and low unemployment.
Unemployment rate
2.4% (1991 est.)
Communications
Airports
total: 5 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
Highways
1,800 km total; 1,640 km paved, 160 km earth
Merchant marine
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 103,328 GRT/163,142 DWT; includes 3 cargo, 1 liquefied gas, 3 bulk
Ports
Port Louis
Telecommunications
small system with good service utilizing primarily microwave radio relay; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; over 48,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
National Police Force (including the paramilitary Special Mobile Force (SMF), Special Support Units (SSU), and National Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $5 million, 0.2% of GDP (FY89)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 312,056; fit for military service 159,408 (1993 est.)