Edition 2003 — Mauritius

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002) Military Mauritius

Area

land: 2,030 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
total: 2,040 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community. Geography Mauritius

Birth rate

16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
revenues: $1.1 billion

Capital

Port Louis

Climate

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

Coastline

177 km

Constitution

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius

Currency

Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code

MUR

Death rate

6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
telephone: [230] 202-4400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH

Disputes - international

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37 (1987 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$42 million (1997)

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, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, 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 foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging foreign investment in the information technology field.

Electricity - consumption

1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 90.8%
hydro: 9.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25 (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30 September 2003
elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003)

Exports

$1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners

UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983; [230] 208-9534
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Mauritius

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6%
industry: 33%
services: 61% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.3% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Geography - note

the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs People Mauritius

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Highways

paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
total: 1,926 km
unpaved: 58 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

700 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Illicit drugs

minor 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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners

France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Independence

12 March 1968 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.mu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

158,000 (2002) Transportation Mauritius

Irrigated land

200 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 49.26%
other: 47.78% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 2.96%

Languages

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

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)
election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)
male: 67.82 years
total population: 71.8 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 82.7% (2003 est.) Government Mauritius
male: 88.6%
total population: 85.6%

Location

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

Map references

Political Map of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Median age

female: 30.8 years (2002)
male: 29.1 years
total: 29.8 years

Merchant marine

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)
ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT

Military branches

National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9.712 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.2% (FY02) Transnational Issues Mauritius

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Nationality

adjective: Mauritian
noun: Mauritian(s)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Net migration rate

-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders

various labor unions

Population

1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

10% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.84% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors