2019 Edition

Background

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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 one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Area

Land

2,030 sq km

Total

2,040 sq km

Water

10 sq km

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

Highest Point

Mont Piton 828 m

Lowest Point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment Current Issues

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs; soil erosion; wildlife preservation; solid waste disposal

Environment International Agreements

Party To

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed But Not Ratified

none of the selected agreements

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; former home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species

Irrigated Land

190 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

43.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

38.4% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

3.4% (2011 est.)

Forest

17.3% (2011 est.)

Other

38.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar

Map References

Africa

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

Population Distribution

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban cluster are found throught the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; population on Rodrigues Island is spread across the island with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Age Structure

0 14 Years

19.9% (male 138,707 /female 132,774)

15 24 Years

14.52% (male 100,281 /female 97,836)

25 54 Years

43.6% (male 297,558 /female 297,243)

55 64 Years

11.81% (male 76,620 /female 84,554)

65 Years And Over

10.17% (male 57,094 /female 81,616) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

12.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

63.8% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

5.7% (2016)

Death Rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Mauritius has transitioned from a country of high fertility and high mortality rates in the 1950s and mid-1960s to one with among the lowest population growth rates in the developing world today. After World War II, Mauritius’ population began to expand quickly due to increased fertility and a dramatic drop in mortality rates as a result of improved health care and the eradication of malaria. This period of heightened population growth – reaching about 3% a year – was followed by one of the world’s most rapid birth rate declines.The total fertility rate fell from 6.2 children per women in 1963 to 3.2 in 1972 – largely the result of improved educational attainment, especially among young women, accompanied by later marriage and the adoption of family planning methods. The family planning programs’ success was due to support from the government and eventually the traditionally pronatalist religious communities, which both recognized that controlling population growth was necessary because of Mauritius’ small size and limited resources. Mauritius’ fertility rate has consistently been below replacement level since the late 1990s, a rate that is substantially lower than nearby countries in southern Africa.With no indigenous population, Mauritius’ ethnic mix is a product of more than two centuries of European colonialism and continued international labor migration. Sugar production relied on slave labor mainly from Madagascar, Mozambique, and East Africa from the early 18th century until its abolition in 1835, when slaves were replaced with indentured Indians. Most of the influx of indentured labor – peaking between the late 1830s and early 1860 – settled permanently creating massive population growth of more than 7% a year and reshaping the island’s social and cultural composition. While Indians represented about 12% of Mauritius’ population in 1837, they and their descendants accounted for roughly two-thirds by the end of the 19th century. Most were Hindus, but the majority of the free Indian traders were Muslims.Mauritius again turned to overseas labor when its success in clothing and textile exports led to a labor shortage in the mid-1980s. Clothing manufacturers brought in contract workers (increasingly women) from China, India, and, to a lesser extent Bangladesh and Madagascar, who worked longer hours for lower wages under poor conditions and were viewed as more productive than locals. Downturns in the sugar and textile industries in the mid-2000s and a lack of highly qualified domestic workers for Mauritius’ growing services sector led to the emigration of low-skilled workers and a reliance on skilled foreign labor. Since 2007, Mauritius has pursued a circular migration program to enable citizens to acquire new skills and savings abroad and then return home to start businesses and to invest in the country’s development.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

14.1 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

7.1 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

41.6 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

27.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

99.8% of population

Improved Total

99.9% of population

Improved Urban

99.9% of population

Unimproved Rural

0.2% of population

Unimproved Total

0.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.1% of population

Education Expenditures

4.8% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic Groups

Indo-Mauritian (compose approximately two thirds of the total population), Creole, Sino-Mauritian, Franco-Mauritian

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

1.3% (2018)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<1000 (2018)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

13,000 (2018)

Hospital Bed Density

3.7 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

11.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, the official language of the National Assembly, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

79.7 years

Male

72.6 years

Total Population

76 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

91% (2016)

Male

95.4%

Total Population

93.2%

Major Urban Areas Population

149,000 PORT LOUIS (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

61 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

36.7 years

Male

34.5 years

Total

35.7 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Mauritian

Noun

Mauritian(s)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

10.8% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

1,364,283 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.57% (2018 est.)

Religions

Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

92.6% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

93.1% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

93.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

7.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

6.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

6.1% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

16 years (2017)

Male

14 years

Total

15 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.02 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.91 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.7 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.74 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

31% (2017 est.)

Male

18.6%

Total

24%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

40.8% of total population (2019)

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

Geographic Coordinates

20 09 S, 57 29 E

Name

Port Louis

Time Difference

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

yes

Citizenship By Descent Only

yes

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; amended many times, last in 2016 (2017)

History

several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Mauritius

Conventional Short Form

Mauritius

Etymology

island named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, in 1598

Local Long Form

Republic of Mauritius

Local Short Form

Mauritius

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador David D. REIMER (since 10 January 2018); note - also accredited to Seychelles

Embassy

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

Fax

[230] 208-9534

Mailing Address

international mail: P.O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450

Telephone

[230] 202-4400

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; administrative offices at 3201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20036

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Sooroojdev PHOKEER (since 3 August 2015)

Fax

[1] (202) 966-0983

Telephone

[1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

Chief Of State

President Pritivirajsing ROOPUN (since 2 December 2019); Vice President Marie Cyril Eddy Boiss&eacute;zon (2 December 2019) note - President Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (since 5 June 2015) resigned on 23 March 2018 amid a credit card scandal

Election Results

Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (independent) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote; note - GURIB-FAKIM, Mauritius'- first female president, resigned on 23 March 2018 (2018)

Elections Appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; election last held on 7 Nov 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly (2019)

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Pravind JUGNAUTH (since 23 January 2017, remains PM after parliamentary election 7 Nov 2019); note - Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 17 December 2014) stepped down on 23 January 2017 in favor of his son, Pravind Kumar JUGNAUTH, who was then appointed prime minister; 7 Nov 2019 Pravind Jugnauth remains prime minister and home affairs minister and also becomes defense minister (2019)

Flag Description

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

12 March 1968 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 18 puisne judges); note - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67

Subordinate Courts

lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal

Legal System

civil legal system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (70 seats maximum; 62 members directly elected multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and up to 8 seats allocated to non-elected party candidates by the Office of Electoral Commissioner; members serve a 5-year term)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - MSM 61%, Labour Party 23%, MMM 13%, OPR 3%; elected seats by party - the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) wins 38 seats, the Labour Party (PTR) or (MLP) 14, Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) 8 and the Rodrigues People's Organization (OPR) 2 (2019)

Elections

last held on 7 November 2019 (next to be held by late 2024)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL

Name

Motherland

National Holiday

Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968 & 1992); note - became independent and a republic on the same date in 1968 and 1992 respectively

National Symbol S

dodo bird, Trochetia Boutoniana flower; national colors: red, blue, yellow, green

Political Parties And Leaders

Alliance Lepep (Alliance of the People) [Pravind JUGNAUTH] (coalition includes MSM and ML) Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM [Paul BERENGER] Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD [Xavier Luc DUVAL] Mauritian Solidarity Front (Front Solidarite Mauricienne) or FSM [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH, aka Cehl MEEAH] Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] Muvman Liberater or ML [Ivan COLLENDAVELLOO] Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotic) [Alan GANOO] Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

3.038 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

2.994 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2010

9%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

8.5%

31 December 2017

8.5%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$531 million

2017

-$875 million

Debt External

31 December 2016

$14.34 billion

31 December 2017

$19.99 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2006

39

2012

35.9

Economy Overview

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper middle-income economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Mauritius has achieved steady growth over the last several decades, resulting in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy currently depends on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, but is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, education, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area but sugar makes up only around 3-4% of national GDP. Authorities plan to emphasize services and innovation in the coming years. After several years of slow growth, government policies now seek to stimulate economic growth in five areas: serving as a gateway for international investment into Africa; increasing the use of renewable energy; developing smart cities; growing the ocean economy; and upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including public transportation, the port, and the airport. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. The Mauritius International Financial Center is under scrutiny by international bodies promoting fair tax competition and Mauritius has been cooperating with the European Union and the United states in the automatic exchange of account information. Mauritius is also a member of the OECD/G20&rsquo;s Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and is under pressure to review its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. The offshore sector is vulnerable to changes in the tax framework and authorities have been working on a Financial Services Sector Blueprint to enable Mauritius to transition to a jurisdiction of higher value added. Mauritius&rsquo; textile sector has taken advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade program that allows duty free access to the US market, with Mauritian exports to the US growing by 35.6 % from 2000 to 2014. However, lack of local labor as well as rising labor costs eroding the competitiveness of textile firms in Mauritius. Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-17, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe. Growth in the US and Europe fostered goods and services exports, including tourism, while lower oil prices kept inflation low. Mauritius continues to rank as one of the most business-friendly environments on the continent and passed a Business Facilitation Act to improve competitiveness and long-term growth prospects. A new National Economic Development Board was set up in 2017-2018 to spearhead efforts to promote exports and attract inward investment.

Exchange Rates

2013

30.622

2014

35.057

2015

35.542

2016

35.542

2017

35.17

Currency

Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$2.359 billion

2017

$2.36 billion

Exports Commodities

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish, primates (for research)

Exports Partners

France 16.7%, US 12.5%, UK 12%, South Africa 9%, Madagascar 6.7%, Italy 6.6%, Spain 5.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

42.1% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

15.1% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

81% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-55.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

17.3% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

-0.4% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

4% (2017 est.)

Industry

21.8% (2017 est.)

Services

74.1% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$13.33 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$20,800

2016

$21,500

2017

$22,300

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$26.23 billion

2016

$27.23 billion

2017

$28.27 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

3.6%

2016

3.8%

2017

3.8%

Gross National Saving

2015

15.2% of GDP

2016

15.8% of GDP

2017

16.9% of GDP

Imports

2016

$4.406 billion

2017

$4.986 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

India 17.9%, China 15.7%, France 11.1%, South Africa 9.7% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1%

2017

3.7%

Labor Force

633,900 (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

8%

Industry

29.8%

Services

62.2% (2014 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2013

$8.942 billion

31 December 2014

$8.751 billion

31 December 2015

$7.239 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

8% (2006 est.)

Public Debt

2016

66.1% of GDP

2017

64% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$4.967 billion

31 December 2017

$5.984 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$2.833 billion

31 December 2017

$3.335 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

NA

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

NA

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$13.7 billion

31 December 2017

$17.16 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$2.833 billion

31 December 2017

$3.335 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

22.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

7.3%

2017

7.1%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

6.429 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

2.726 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

79% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

894,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

2.898 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

26,960 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

18 (2017 est.)

Total

246,000

Broadcast Media

the government maintains control over TV broadcasting through the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which only operates digital TV stations since June 2015; MBC is a shareholder in a local company that operates 2 pay-TV stations; the state retains the largest radio broadcast network with multiple stations; several private radio broadcasters have entered the market since 2001; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet Country Code

.mu

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

53.2% (July 2016 est.)

Total

717,618

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services teledensity approaching 136 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

small system with good service; LTE and fiber broadband service are available; government building a national Wi-Fi network; partial privatization of biggest telecommunications company, open to competition (2018)

International

country code - 230; landing points for the SAFE, MARS, IOX Cable System, METISS and LION submarine cable system that provides links to Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean Islands of Reunion, Madagascar, and Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

30 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

413,100

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

136 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

1,839,500

Airports

5 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

914 To 1 523 M

1 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

1 (2017)

Total

2 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 To 1 523 M

2 (2013)

Total

3 (2013)

Under 914 M

1 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

3B (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 23 (2018)

Total

28

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

168.773 million mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

1,466,527 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

13 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Port Louis

Roadways

Paved

2,379 km (includes 99 km of expressways) (2015)

Total

2,428 km (2015)

Unpaved

49 km (2015)

Military And Security Forces

no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force includes a Special Mobile Force (a paramilitary force formed as a mobile infantry battalion) and the National Coast Guard (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.15% of GDP

2015

0.18% of GDP

2016

0.19% of GDP

2017

0.18% of GDP

2018

0.16% of GDP

Disputes International

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit Drugs

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

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation

Mauritius is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Mauritian girls are induced or sold into prostitution, often by peers, family members, or businessmen offering other forms of employment; Mauritian adults have been identified as labor trafficking victims in the UK, Belgium, and Canada, while Mauritian women from Rodrigues Island are also subject to domestic servitude in Mauritius; Malagasy women transit Mauritius en route to the Middle East for jobs as domestic servants and subsequently are subjected to forced labor; Cambodian men are victims of forced labor on foreign fishing vessels in Mauritius’ territorial waters; other migrant workers from East and South Asia and Madagascar are also subject to forced labor in Mauritius’ manufacturing and construction sectors

Tier Rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Mauritius does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, the government made modest efforts to address child sex trafficking but none related to adult forced labor; law enforcement lacks an understanding of trafficking crimes outside of child sex trafficking, despite increasing evidence of other forms of human trafficking; authorities made no trafficking prosecutions or convictions and made modest efforts to assist a couple of child sex trafficking victims; officials sustained an extensive public awareness campaign to prevent child sex trafficking, but no efforts were made to raise awareness or reduce demand for forced adult or child labor (2015)