BackgroundAlthough known to Arab and Malay sailors as rly 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 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 Ocn 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 lice. 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 rned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor wther, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, lding to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
GeographyThe main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; 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.Loion:Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocn, st of MadagascarGeographic coordinates:20 17 S, 57 33 r:total: 2,040 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km
water: 10 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and RodriguesSize comparison: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:0 kmCoastline:177 kmMaritime claims:msured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial s: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginClimate:tropical, modified by southst trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)Terrain:small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central platuElevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocn 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 mNatural resources:arable land, fishLand use:arable land: 49.02%
permanent crops: 2.94%
other: 48.04% (2005)Irrigated land:220 sq km (2003)Natural hazards:cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazardsCurrent Environment Issues:water pollution, degradation of coral reefsInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Environmental Modifiion, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:1,274,189 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 23% (male 148,573/female 143,859)
15-64 yrs: 70.1% (male 443,968/female 449,670)
65 yrs and over: 6.9% (male 35,269/female 52,850) (2008 est.)Median age:total: 31.5 yrs
male: 30.6 yrs
female: 32.3 yrs (2008 est.)Population growth rate:0.8% (2008 est.)Birth rate:14.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)Dth rate:6.55 dths/1,000 population (2008 est.)Net migration rate:-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 yrs: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 yrs: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 yrs and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 12.56 dths/1,000 live births
male: 14.94 dths/1,000 live births
female: 10.06 dths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.75 yrs
male: 70.28 yrs
female: 77.4 yrs (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:1.83 children born/woman (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:700 (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:fewer than 100 (2001 est.)Nationality:noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: MauritianEthnic groups:Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%Religions:Hindu 48%, Roman holic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)Languages:Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write
total population: 84.4%
male: 88.4%
female: 80.5% (2000 census)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius
local long form: Republic of Mauritius
local short form: MauritiusGovernment type:parliamentary democracyCapital:name: Port Louis
geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)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*, SavanneIndependence:12 March 1968 (from UK)National holiday:Independence Day, 12 March (1968)Constitution:12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992Legal system:based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain ars; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservationsSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)
hd of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)
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-yr terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (70 sts; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-yr terms)
elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; sts by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed sts - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2Judicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and lders:Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan DULLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]Political pressure groups and lders:other: various labor unionsInternational organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Keerteecoomar RUHEE
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Cesar CABRERA
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, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450
telephone: [230] 202-4400
FAX: [230] 208-9534
EconomySince 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, incrsed life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communiions technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land ar and accounts for 15% of export rnings. The government's development strategy centers on crting vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has rched over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).GDP (purchasing power parity):$15.75 billion (2008 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$8.128 billion (2008 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:5.8% (2008 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):$12,400 (2008 est.)GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 24.9%
services: 70.6% (2008 est.)Labor force:584,000 (2008 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%, transportation and communiion 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%, finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)Unemployment rate:8% (2008 est.)Population below poverty line:8% (2006 est.)Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%Distribution of family income - Gini index:39 (2006 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices):10.1% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):27.1% of GDP (2008 est.)Budget:revenues: $1.866 billion
expenditures: $2.243 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)Public debt:57.2% of GDP (2008 est.)Agriculture - products:
Industries:food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourismIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:2.058 billion kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - consumption:22,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2006)Oil - imports:23,650 bbl/day (2006)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)Current account balance:-$982 million (2008 est.)Exports:$2.36 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fishExports - partners:UK 35.1%, France 14.4%, US 7.7%, Madagascar 6.3%, Italy 5.8% (2007)Imports:$4.503 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicalsImports - partners:India 21.2%, China 11.4%, France 10.7%, South Africa 7.4% (2007)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.909 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Debt - external:$2.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$NAStock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$NAMarket value of publicly traded shares:$5.666 billion (31 December 2007)Currency ():Mauritian rupee (MUR)Exchange rates:Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)Fiscal yr:1 July - 30 June
CommuniionsTele in use:357,300 (2006)Cellular in use:936,000 (2007)Telephone system:eral assessment: small system with good service
domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2007 rching 75 per 100 persons
international: country - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of st Africa, and Europe; satellite rth station - 1 sat (Indian Ocn); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countriesRadio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)Television broadcast stations:2 (plus several repters) (1997)Internet country :.muInternet hosts:9,609 (2008)Internet users:340,000 (2007)
TransportationAirports:5 (2007)Airports (paved runways):total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2007)Roadways:total: 2,028 km
paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)Merchant marine:total: 3
by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)Ports and terminals:Port Louis
Military
Military branches:no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2008)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)
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