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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 5 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,800 km paved: 1,640 km unpaved: earth 160 km

Merchant marine [time series]

14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 162,387 GRT/260,552 DWT, bulk 6, cargo 7, liquefied gas 1

Ports [time series]

Port Louis

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(territorial collectivity of France)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

National Police Force, including the paramilitary Special Mobile Force (SMF), Special Support Units (SSU), and National Coast Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $5 million, 0.2% of GDP (FY89)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 316,975; fit for military service 161,634

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 10% 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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $557 million expenditures: $607 million, including capital expenditures of $111 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $709 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $54 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 235,000 kW production: 630 million kWh consumption per capita: 570 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 18.696 (January 1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991), 14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$1.32 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10% partners: EC and US have preferential treatment, EU 77%, US 15%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$991 million (1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems

Imports [time series]

$1.63 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) 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 7% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.6% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.6 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$7,800 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

6.3% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1992 was impressive, with 6% real growth and low unemployment.

Unemployment rate [time series]

2.4% (1991 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1,860 sq km land area: 1,850 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: water pollution natural hazards: subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

170 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 54% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 31% other: 7%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of Madagascar

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

arable land, fish

Terrain [time series]

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Capital [time series]

Port Louis

Constitution [time series]

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Anund NEEWOOR chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-1491 or 1492

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992); Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

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

(202) 966-0983

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

[230] 208-9534

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly) [time series]

elections last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be held by 15 September 1996); results - MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%; seats - (70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2); MLP/PMSD 3

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

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]

government coalition: Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem NABABSING (less 12 legislators under the leadership of Paul BERENGER, now voting with the opposition); Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR; Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO opposition: Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), X. DUVAL; MMM-Berenger Faction, Paul BERENGER

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie ALEXANDER embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: use Embassy street address telephone: [230] 208-9763 through 208-9767

People

Birth rate [time series]

19.28 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.41 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.54 years male: 66.62 years female: 74.63 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 80% male: 85% female: 75%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Net migration rate [time series]

-3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

1,116,923 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.92% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.22 children born/woman (1994 est.)