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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.mu

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

9,609 (2008)

Internet users [time series]

340,000 (2007)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general 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 reaching 75 per 100 persons international: country code - 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 East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

357,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

936,000 (2007)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.344 billion expenditures: $1.773 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

21.87% (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Current account balance [time series]

-$408.3 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.149 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

39 (2006 est.)

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, 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, increased 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 communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating 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 reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Electricity - consumption [time series]

2.058 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003)

Exports [time series]

$2.231 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish

Exports - partners [time series]

UK 35.1%, France 14.4%, US 7.7%, Madagascar 6.3%, Italy 5.8% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$6.959 billion (2007 est.)

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

$14.27 billion (2007 est.)

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

agriculture: 4.8% industry: 25% services: 70.1% (2007 est.)

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

$11,300 (2007 est.)

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

5.4% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$3.656 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

India 21.2%, China 11.4%, France 10.7%, South Africa 7.4% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.7% (2007 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

8.8% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

25.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force [time series]

574,000 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%, finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$5.7 billion (2007)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

22,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2006)

Oil - imports [time series]

23,650 bbl/day (2006)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Public debt [time series]

63.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.822 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$NA

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$8.582 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$1.673 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$6.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.8% (2007 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

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 [time series]

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

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

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%) per capita: 488 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Geography - note [time series]

the 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

Irrigated land [time series]

220 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 49.02% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 48.04% (2005)

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Map references [time series]

Political Map of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

2.2 cu km (2001)

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]

name: Port Louis geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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) 966-0983

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002) head 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-year 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%

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]

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, 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, WTO

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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

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

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 DOLLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Nando BODHA]; 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 parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

other: various labor unions

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early 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 honor 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 Ocean 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 intelligence. 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 earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 11,089 female: 10,843 (2008 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

0.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 23% (male 148,573/female 143,859) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 443,968/female 449,670) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 35,269/female 52,850) (2008 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

14.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.9% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

700 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 12.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages [time series]

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)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.75 years male: 70.28 years female: 77.4 years (2008 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.4% male: 88.4% female: 80.5% (2000 census)

Median age [time series]

total: 31.5 years male: 30.6 years female: 32.3 years (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population [time series]

1,274,189 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.8% (2008 est.)

Religions [time series]

Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 13 years (2005)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.83 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs [time series]

consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

Transportation

Airports [time series]

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 3 by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Port Louis

Roadways [time series]

total: 2,028 km paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)