2023 Edition

Background

Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the Island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars but kept most of the French administrative structure, which remains to this day in the form of the country’s legal codes and widespread use of the French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 - later than most other British colonies - led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing a role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as for the collection of signals intelligence. Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius’ often fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM (1968-76) was Mauritius’ first prime minister and he was succeeded by Anerood JUGNAUTH (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin RAMGOOLAM (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond BERENGER (2003-05), the only non-Hindu prime minister of post-independence Mauritius. In 2017, Pravind JUGNAUTH became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019. Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly resolutions and an International Court of Justice advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK.

Area

land

2,030 sq km

note

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

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

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

158 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

43.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.)

forest

17.3% (2018 est.)

other

38.9% (2018 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

note

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

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 clusters are found throughout 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 as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Age structure

0-14 years

15.3% (male 102,335/female 97,955)

15-64 years

71.35% (male 464,380/female 469,877)

65 years and over

13.36% (2023 est.) (male 72,026/female 102,875)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

9.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

63.8% (2014)

Current health expenditure

6.7% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 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 1860s – 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

17.3

potential support ratio

5.8 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

40.7

youth dependency ratio

23.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.8% of population

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

note

note: Mauritius has not had a question on ethnicity on its national census since 1972

Gross reproduction rate

0.65 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.7 beds/1,000 population (2020)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.1 years

male

72.3 years

total population

75.1 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

90.5% (2021)

male

93.5%

total population

92.2%

Major urban areas - population

149,000 PORT LOUIS (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

84 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

40.6 years

male

37.8 years

total

39.3 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Mauritian

noun

Mauritian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.8% (2016)

Physicians density

2.71 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

1,309,448 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout 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 as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

0.09% (2023 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

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: (2020 est.) NA

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

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

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.7 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

3% (2020 est.)

male

37.3% (2020 est.)

total

20.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

40.9% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

32.9%

male

19.7%

total

25.3% (2021 est.)

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

etymology

named after LOUIS XV, who was king of France in 1736 when the port became the administrative center of Mauritius and a major reprovisioning stop for French ships traveling between Europe and Asia

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

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

note

note: pronounced mah-rish-us

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - also accredited to Seychelles

email address and website

PTLConsular@state.govhttps://mu.usembassy.gov/

embassy

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

FAX

[230] 208-9534

mailing address

2450 Port Louis Place, Washington, DC 20521-2450

telephone

[230] 202-4400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Purmanund JHUGROO (since 7 July 2021)

email address and website

mauritius.embassy@verizon.net; washingtonemb@govmu.orghttps://mauritius-washington.govmu.org/Pages/index.aspx

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983

telephone

[1] (202) 244-1491

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (since 2 December 2019); Vice President Marie Cyril EDDY Boissézon (since 2 December 2019); note - President Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM, the country's first female president, resigned on 23 March 2018 amid a credit card scandal; acting presidents served from March 2018 until ROOPUN's appointment in 2019

election results

2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote; note - GURIB-FAKIM resigned on 23 March 20182015: Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (independent) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote; note - GURIB-FAKIM was Mauritius' first female president 

elections/appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; election last held on 7 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Pravind JUGNAUTH (since 23 January 2017); note - Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH stepped down on 23 January 2017 in favor of his son, Pravind Kumar JUGNAUTH, who was then appointed prime minister; following 7 November 2019 parliamentary elections, Pravind JUGNAUTH remained prime minister and home affairs minister and also became defense minister

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

note

note: while many national flags consist of three - and in some cases five - horizontal bands of color, the flag of Mauritius is the world's only national flag to consist of four horizontal color bands

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, 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 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 - Mauritian Alliance 2019 (MSM, ML, MAG, and PM) 37.7%, National Alliance (PTR, PMSD, and MJCB) 32.8%, MMM 20.6%, OPR 1%, Other 7.9%; elected seats by party as of November 2019 - the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) 38 seats, the Mauritius Labour Party (PTR) or (MLP) 14, Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) 8, and the Rodrigues People's Organization (OPR) 2; composition as of July 2022 - men 56, women 14, percent of women 20% (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"

note

note: adopted 1968

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Aapravasi Ghat; Le Morne Cultural Landscape

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both cultural)

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 Morisien (Mauritian Alliance 2019; coalition includes PM, MSM, ML, and MAG) [Pravind JUGNAUTH] Jean-Claude Barbier Movement (Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier) or MJCB [Jean-Claude Barbier]Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM [Paul BERENGER]Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]Mauritius Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]Militant Platform or PM (Plateforme Militante) [Steven OBEEGADOO]Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]Muvman Liberater or ML [Ivan COLLENDAVELLOO]National Alliance (coalition includes PTR, PMSD, and MJCB) [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotique) or MAG [Alan GANOO]Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR [Serge CLAIR] note: only parties with seats in the National Assembly listed

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, poultry, pumpkins, gourds, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, pineapples, bananas, fruit

Budget

expenditures

$3.675 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$2.461 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Baa1 (2012)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$718.495 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.003 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.527 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$232.17 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$226.799 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; diversified portfolio; investing in maritime security; strong tourism sector decimated by COVID-19; expanding in information and financial services; environmentally fragile

Exchange rates

Currency

Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

34.481 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

33.934 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

35.474 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

39.347 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

41.692 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$5.258 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$3.088 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$3.198 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

clothing and apparel, skipjack and tuna, raw sugar, fertilizers, diamonds (2021)

Exports - partners

France 10%, South Africa 10%, United States 10%, United Kingdom 8%, Zambia 7%, Madagascar 6% (2019)

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)

$14.004 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

36.8 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$7.365 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$5.222 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$6.082 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, fish products, aircraft, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

China 15%, India 13%, France 10%, South Africa 8%, United Arab Emirates 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

20.88% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.41% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

2.58% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.03% (2021 est.)

Labor force

597,900 (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

8%

industry

29.8%

services

62.2% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

10.3% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

56.16% of GDP (2017 est.)

Public debt 2018

55.38% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

57.96% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$29.974 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$25.599 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$26.547 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.89% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-14.6% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.7% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$23,700 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$20,200 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$21,000 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$7.362 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$7.291 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$8.563 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.72% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

6.33% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

7.41% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

7.41% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

32.9%

male

19.7%

total

25.3% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.595 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

5.596 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

7.191 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

661,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

1.189 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2,904,500,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

936,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

182.4 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.8% (2021)

electrification - total population

99.6% (2020)

electrification - urban areas

99.2% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

15% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

75.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

3.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

5.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

79.448 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

36,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

25 (2020 est.)

total

323,200 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation is the national public television and radio broadcaster; it broadcasts programming in French, English, Hindi, Creole and Chinese, it provides 17 television channels in Mauritius; there are nine Mauritian FM radio stations and two operating on the AM band (2022)

Internet country code

.mu

Internet users

percent of population

68% (2021 est.)

total

884,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity over 36 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular services teledensity 152 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the telecom sector in Mauritius has long been supported by the varied needs of tourists; this has stimulated the mobile market, leading to a particularly high penetration rate; the response of the country’s telcos to tourist requirements also contributed to the country being among the first in the region to provide services based on 3G and WiMAX technologies; the incumbent telco provides comprehensive LTE and fiber broadband coverage, and in late 2021 it launched a gigabit fiber-based broadband service; the country has seen improved international internet capacity in recent years, with direct cables linking to India, Madagascar, and South Africa, as well as other connections to Rodrigues and Reunion; mobile subscribers in Mauritius secured 5G services in mid-2021;  this followed the regulator’s award of spectrum in two bands to the MNOs (2022)

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

36 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

469,100 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

152 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,971,300 (2021 est.)

Airports

5 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

3

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

3B

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 5, other 25

total

31 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

233.72 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,745,291 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

13

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Port Louis

Roadways

paved

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

total

2,428 km (2015)

unpaved

49 km (2015)

Military - note

the country’s primary security partner is India, and Indian naval vessels often patrol Mauritian waters; the MPF has also received assistance and training from France, the UK, and the US; the MPF’s chief security concerns are piracy and narcotics traffickingthe Special Mobile Force was created in 1960 following the withdrawal of the British garrison (2023)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) under the Ministry of Defense includes a paramilitary unit known as the Special Mobile Force, which includes some motorized infantry and light armored units; the MPF also has a Police Helicopter Squadron, a Special Support Unit (riot police), and the National Coast Guard (also includes an air squadron) (2023)

note

note: the MPF is responsible for law enforcement and maintenance of order within the country; a police commissioner heads the force and has authority over all police and other security forces, including the Coast Guard and Special Mobile Forces; the Special Mobile Forces share responsibility with police for internal security

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the MPF's inventory is comprised of mostly secondhand equipment from Western European countries and India; since 2010, India has been the primary supplier (2023)

Disputes - international

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island Mauritius-France: Mauritius has claimed French-administered Tromelin Island (part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands) since 1976Mauritius-UK: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

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

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Mauritius does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; these efforts included partnering with an international organization to adopt standard operating procedures for victim identification and referral, enhancing screening for trafficking indicators during labor inspections, and adopting a 2022-2026 National Action Plan; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; officials did not prosecute any suspected traffickers, did not convict any traffickers, nor report initiating any investigations for the second consecutive year; the government provided minimal services to victims and did not identify any victims for the third consecutive year; officials continued to compel some adult foreign victims to participate in criminal proceedings using threats of deportation and arrest; police regularly investigated potential trafficking cases as other crimes, and prosecutors routinely pursued lesser offenses with lesser penalties in cases initially investigated as trafficking; courts continued to provide lenient sentences to first-time offenders, weakening deterrence; therefore, Mauritius was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Mauritius; girls across the country—particularly from low-income communities—are exploited in child sex trafficking; taxi drivers, sometimes involved in commercial sex networks, knowingly transport child sex traffickers and victims; traffickers may exploit children in sex trafficking on Rodrigues Island, an autonomous territory of Mauritius; members of underserved communities, including individuals in commercial sex, women and children of African descent (Creoles), and LGBTQI+ persons, are vulnerable to sex trafficking, particularly in urban areas; traffickers, including gang members, force Mauritian children and foreign migrants to carry drugs; foreign migrants, particularly Malagasy women, are recruited under false pretenses of employment or tourism but forced into sex trafficking and domestic servitude; previous reports indicate traffickers, in partnership with criminal networks in Russia and Kazakhstan, recruit Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian women to move to Mauritius, under the guise of a marriage agency, then exploit them in sex trafficking; traffickers exploit migrants—primarily from Bangladesh, India, Madagascar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka—in labor trafficking in the garment, textile, manufacturing, and construction industries; labor trafficking is more common in small- and medium-sized businesses that employ migrant workers, primarily from Bangladesh, often recruited by former migrant workers who returned to their country of origin; traffickers may exploit migrant workers aboard foreign-owned fishing vessels in Mauritius’ territorial waters and ports (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

4.35 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.06 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, 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

Land use

agricultural land

43.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.)

forest

17.3% (2018 est.)

other

38.9% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.75 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

310 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

290 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

40.9% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

438,000 tons (2016 est.)