1996 Edition

Description

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Location

20 17 S, 57 33 E -- Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Flag ----

Area

comparative area

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

1,850 sq km

note

includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

total area

1,860 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

177 km

Environment

current issues

water pollution

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

natural hazards

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Geographic coordinates

20 17 S, 57 33 E

International disputes

claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Irrigated land

170 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

54%

forest and woodland

31%

meadows and pastures

4%

other

7%

permanent crops

4%

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Map references

World

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the 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

highest point

Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 27% (male 157,174; female 152,980) 15-64 years: 67% (male 379,840; female 383,295) 65 years and over: 6% (male 27,429; female 39,538) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

18.97 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.67 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.33 years (1996 est.)

male

66.72 years

total population

70.53 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

78.8%

male

87.1%

total population

82.9%

Nationality

adjective

Mauritian

noun

Mauritian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

1,140,256 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.23% (1996 est.)

Religions

Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 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: 0.69 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Port Louis

Constitution

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Data code

MP

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Anund Priyay NEEWOOR

telephone

[1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992) were elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995) were appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983

[230] 208-9534

Flag

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Independence

12 March 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Legislative Assembly

elections last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); results - MMM/MLP 65%, MSM/RMM 20%, other 15%; seats - (66 total; 62 elected, 4 appointed) MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, Gaetan Duval Party 1, Hizballah 1

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

MLP/MMM alliance - Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLAM; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul BERENGER

opposition

Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR; Rodrigues Movement, Nicolas VONMALLY; Gaetan Duval Party, Gaetan DUVAL; Hizbullah, Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY; Militant Socialist Movement (MSM); Mauritian Militant Resurgence (MMR)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary democracy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Leslie M. ALEXANDER

embassy

4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$567 million, including capital expenditures of $143 million (FY92/93 est.)

revenues

$653 million

Currency

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic overview

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-93 continued strong with solid real growth and low unemployment.

Electricity

capacity

340,000 kW

consumption per capita

777 kWh (1993)

production

920 million kWh

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 17.842 (January 1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991)

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%

partners

EU and US have preferential treatment, EU 77%, US 15%

External debt

$996.8 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$9,600 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.7% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems

Imports

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%

partners

EU, US, South Africa, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

5.8% (1992)

Industries

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.4% (1993 est.)

Labor force

335,000

by occupation

government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22%

Unemployment rate

2.4% (1991 est.)

Branches

National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, Special Support Units or SSU, and National Coast Guard)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $11.2 million, 0.4% of GDP (FY92/93)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

327,403

males fit for military service

166,466 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

395,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

small system with good service

domestic

primarily microwave radio relay

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Telephones

65,000 (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1987 est.)

Televisions

151,096 (1991 est.) Defense

Airports

total

4

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

2 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

1,703 km (including 29 km of expressways)

total

1,831 km

unpaved

128 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 9, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)

total

17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 221,446 GRT/308,478 DWT

Ports

Port Louis

Railways

0 km