1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 1,860 sq km land: 1,850 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area--comparative
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline
177 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Environment--current issues
water pollution
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
20 17 S, 57 33 E
Irrigated land
170 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 49% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 22% other: 23% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources
arable land, fish
Terrain
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 26% (male 156,616; female 153,698) 15-64 years: 68% (male 398,557; female 402,674) 65 years and over: 6% (male 28,586; female 42,081) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
18.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Infant mortality rate
16.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.09 years male: 67.21 years female: 74.96 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
1,182,212 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.18% (1999 est.)
Religions
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.21 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Port Louis
Constitution
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius
Data code
MP
Executive branch
chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) 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; election last held 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly election results: Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly--NA
Flag description
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
Government type
parliamentary democracy
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, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL 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, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450
Judicial branch
Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: RAMGOOLAM] Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions
Legal system
based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (66 seats--62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%, other 15%; seats by party--MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Budget
revenues: $824 million (FY94/95) expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $198 million (FY95/96 est.)
Currency
1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$1.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$5.2 million (1995)
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 services, 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 25% 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 1991-98 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.
Electricity--consumption
1.125 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
1.125 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 86.67% hydro: 13.33% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1--24.099 (January 1999), 22.803 (1998), 20.561 (1997), 17.948 (1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994)
Exports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
clothing and textiles 55%, sugar 24% (1995)
Exports--partners
UK 34.4%, France 19.5%, US 13.0%, Germany 5.6%, Italy 4.0% (1996)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$11.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 63% (1996)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$10,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
manufactured goods 37%, capital equipment 19%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7% (1995)
Imports--partners
South Africa 12.0%, France 11.1%, India 8.9%, UK 6.5%, Germany 4.7%, (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
5.8% (1992)
Industries
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.8% (1997)
Labor force
514,000 (1995)
Labor force--by occupation
construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)
Population below poverty line
10.6% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
2% (1996 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
399,000 (1993 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
107,000 (1993)
Television broadcast stations
2 (in addition, there are 11 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
242,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
5 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,860 km paved: 1,732 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 128 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Port Louis
Merchant marine
total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 178,846 GRT/236,308 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, combination bulk 2, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; India owns 1 ship (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, Special Support Units or SSU, and National Coast Guard)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$11.2 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
0.4% (FY97/98)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 339,218 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 171,705 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
claims the Chagos Archipelago in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems