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Communications

Airports [time series]

5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Civil air [time series]

4 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

1,800 km total; 1,640 km paved, 160 km earth

Merchant marine [time series]

9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 143,029 GRT/ 248,754 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 3 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 3 bulk

Ports [time series]

Port Louis

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

small system with good service; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; 48,000 telephones; stations--2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 297,975; 153,130 fit for military service

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 14% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane; other products--tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish; net food importer, especially rice and fish

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $72 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-87), $538 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $54 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $351 million; expenditures $414 million, including capital expenditures of $76 million (FY87 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Mauritian rupee (plural--rupees); 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Electricity [time series]

233,000 kW capacity; 420 million kWh produced, 375 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1--15.033 (January 1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987), 13.466 (1986), 15.442 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%; partners--EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$670 million (December 1989)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.9 billion, per capita $1,910; real growth rate 6.3% (1988)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade

Imports [time series]

$1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%; partners--EC, US, South Africa, Japan

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 12.9% (FY87)

Industries [time series]

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9.2% (1988)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Despite significant expansion in other sectors over the past decade, sugarcane remains dominant and is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area, accounting for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1988 was impressive, with 6.3% real growth rate and low unemployment.

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.6% (1988)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

177 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Continental shelf [time series]

edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

claims Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

54% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

arable land, fish

Note [time series]

located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

Terrain [time series]

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,860 km2; land area: 1,850 km2; includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (St. Brandon) and Rodrigues

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

5 urban councils and 3 district councils*; Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Moka-Flacq*, North*, Port Louis, Quatre Bornes, South*, Vacoas-Phoenix; note--there may now be 4 urban councils and 9 district councils* named Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Black River*, Curepipe, Flacq*, Grand Port*, Moka*, Pamplemousses*, Plaine Wilhems*, Port Louis*, Quartre Bornes, Riviere du Rempart*, Savanne*, and Vacoas-Phoenix

Capital [time series]

Port Louis

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist organizations; Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's Committee, Mauritius Communist Party, Mauritius People's Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist League, Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle School Friendly Association, Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society

Constitution [time series]

12 March 1968

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492; US--Ambassador Penne KORTH; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers Building, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone 082347

Executive branch [time series]

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

12 March 1968 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986); Head of Government--Prime Minister Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Satcam BOOLELL (since 15 August 1988)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

none

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

various labor unions

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. Jugnauth, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), S. Boolell; the main opposition union consists of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem Nababsing; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio Michel; Democratic Labor Movement, Anil Baichoo; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. Duval

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 Legislative Assembly--last held on 30 August 1987 (next to be held 30 August 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(70 total, 62 elected) MSM 24, MMM 21, MLP 10, PMSD 5, others 10

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

People

Birth rate [time series]

21 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

20 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; 43% of population of working age (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

66 years male, 73 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

82.8%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Mauritian(s); adjective--Mauritian

Net migration rate [time series]

4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

35% of labor force in more than 270 unions

Population [time series]

1,070,005 (July 1990), growth rate 1.8% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans), 17% Muslim, 2% other

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.0 children born/woman (1990)