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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

399,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

107,000 (1993)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (in addition, there are 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

242,000 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $824 million (FY94/95) expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $198 million (FY95/96 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$1.2 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$5.2 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial services, 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 25% 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 1991-98 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

1.125 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

1.125 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 86.67% hydro: 13.33% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1--24.099 (January 1999), 22.803 (1998), 20.561 (1997), 17.948 (1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

clothing and textiles 55%, sugar 24% (1995)

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

UK 34.4%, France 19.5%, US 13.0%, Germany 5.6%, Italy 4.0% (1996)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July--30 June

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

purchasing power parity--$11.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 63% (1996)

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$10,000 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$2.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

manufactured goods 37%, capital equipment 19%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7% (1995)

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

South Africa 12.0%, France 11.1%, India 8.9%, UK 6.5%, Germany 4.7%, (1996)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.8% (1992)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.8% (1997)

Labor force [time series]

514,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Population below poverty line [time series]

10.6% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

2% (1996 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,860 sq km land: 1,850 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

water pollution

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Irrigated land [time series]

170 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 49% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 22% other: 23% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

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 Shoals*, 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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL 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, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) 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-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly election results: Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly--NA

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

12 March 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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 [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (66 seats--62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%, other 15%; seats by party--MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

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

RAMGOOLAM] Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD

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

various labor unions

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military 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 - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$11.2 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

0.4% (FY97/98)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 339,218 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 171,705 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 26% (male 156,616; female 153,698) 15-64 years: 68% (male 398,557; female 402,674) 65 years and over: 6% (male 28,586; female 42,081) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

16.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.09 years male: 67.21 years female: 74.96 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

1,182,212 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.18% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.21 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

claims the Chagos Archipelago in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

5 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,860 km paved: 1,732 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 128 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 178,846 GRT/236,308 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, combination bulk 2, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; India owns 1 ship (1998 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Port Louis

Railways [time series]

0 km