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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

over 48,000 telephones; small system with good service local: NA intercity: utilizes primarily microwave radio relay international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 4 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $11.2 million, 0.4% of GDP (FY92/93) MAYOTTE (territorial collectivity of France)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 321,947; males fit for military service 163,904 (1995 est.)

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: $653 million expenditures: $567 million, including capital expenditures of $143 million (FY92/93 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: 340,000 kW production: 920 million kWh consumption per capita: 777 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 17.755 (January 1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991), 14.839 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$1.32 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) 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]

$996.8 million (1993 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]

$1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 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 5.8% (1992); 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]

9.4% (1993 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $9.3 billion (1993 est.)

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

$8,600 (1994 est.)

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

4.7% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist sectors. For most of the period annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. 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 modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-93 continued strong with solid 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: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

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, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Map references [time series]

World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the 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 Priyay NEEWOOR chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 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]

[1] (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 - (66 total) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2), MLP/PMSD 4 (MLP 3, PMSD 1); note - the Supreme Court denied the assignment of 3 seats to the MSM

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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, 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 Resurgence (RMM), Prem NABABSING (less 10 legislators under the leadership of Paul BERENGER, now voting with the opposition); Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), X. DUVAL; Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR; Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO opposition: Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN; MMM-Berenger Faction, Paul BERENGER; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL

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 M. ALEXANDER embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [230] 208-9763 through 9767

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28% (female 152,892; male 158,891) 15-64 years: 66% (female 376,049; male 372,910) 65 years and over: 6% (female 39,088; male 27,238) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.91 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.38 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

335,000 by occupation: government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22%

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.84 years male: 66.9 years female: 74.95 years (1995 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]

-3.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

1,127,068 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.89% (1995 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]

2.2 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 191,703 GRT/297,347 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 8, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1

Ports [time series]

Port Louis

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km