Country Guide

Mauritius Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar


Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E


Map references:
Africa


Area:
total:2,040 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 181
land:2,030 sq km
water:10 sq km
note:includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues


Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC


Land boundaries:
territorial sea:12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
continental shelf:200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


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


Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau


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


    Natural resources:
arable land, fish


Land use:
arable land:38.24%
permanent crops:1.96%
other:59.8% (2011)


Irrigated land:
212.2 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
2.75 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
2.75 cu km (2011)

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


Environment - current issues:
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs


Environment - international agreements:
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


Geography - note:
the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; former 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

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective:Mauritian


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


Languages:
Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, the official language, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)


Religions:
Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)


Population:
1,331,155 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 156


Age structure:
0-14 years:21% (male 143,064/female 137,021)
15-24 years:15.5% (male 104,257/female 102,233)
25-54 years:44.1% (male 293,607/female 294,029)
55-64 years:10.9% (male 68,749/female 76,407)
65 years and over:8% (male 45,145/female 66,643) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:39.8 %
youth dependency ratio:27.1 %
elderly dependency ratio:12.8 %
potential support ratio:7.8 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:33.9 years
male:33.1 years
female:34.8 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
0.66% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 148


Birth rate:
13.46 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 149


Death rate:
6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 138


Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 88


Urbanization:
urban population:41.8% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:0.57% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
PORT LOUIS (capital) 151,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.67 male(s)/female
total population:0.97 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
60 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:10.59 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 136
male:12.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female:8.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:75.17 yearscountry comparison to the world: 98
male:71.71 years
female:78.81 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 160


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
75.8% (2002)


Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
1.06 physicians/1,000 population (2004)


Hospital bed density:
3.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 99.7% of population
total: 99.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0.3% of population
total: 0.2% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 91.7% of population
rural: 90.1% of population
total: 90.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8.3% of population
rural: 9.9% of population
total: 9.2% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 40


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,500 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 101


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
700 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 84


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
18.5% (2008)country comparison to the world: 105


Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2012)country comparison to the world: 123

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:88.8%
male:91.1%
female:86.7% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:16 years
male:15 years
female:16 years (2012)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:23.7%country comparison to the world: 44
male:20.4%
female:28.4% (2012)

Government

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


Government type:
parliamentary democracy


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


Administrative divisions:
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


Independence:
12 March 1968 (from the UK)


National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)


Constitution:
several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968; amended many times, last in 2012 (2012)


Legal system:
civil legal system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law


International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Rajkeswur Kailash PURRYAG (since 21 July 2012); note - former President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH resigned on 31 March 2012
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); elections last held on 21 July 2012 (next to be held in 2017); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly; note - former President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH resigned on 31 March 2012
election results:Rajkeswur Kailash PURRYAG elected president by unanimous vote


Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 5 May 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AF 41, MMM 18, MR 2, FSM 1; appointed seats - to be assigned 8; note - as of 4 March 2014 seats by party were AF 38, MMM 19, MSM 9, FSM 1, MMSD 1, OPR 1, other 1


Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 17 puisne judges)
judge selection and term of office:chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 62
subordinate courts:Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal (formed by a 2008 constitutional amendment)


    Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of the Future (l'Alliance de l'Avenir) or AF [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes PTR-PMSD-MSM)
Alliance of the Heart (l'Alliance du Coeur) or AC [Paul BERENGER] (coalition includes - MMM, UN, MMSD)
Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]
Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM [Paul BERENGER]
Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]
Maurition Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]
Mauritian Solidarity Front (Front Solidarite Mauricienne) or FSM [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH]
Mauritian Social Democratic Movement (Mouvement Mauricien Social Democrate) or MMSD [Eric GUIMBEAU]
Mauritian Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Militant Socialiste Mauricienne) or MMSM [Madan DULLOO]
National Union (Union Nationale) or UN [Ashok JUGNAUTH]
Rodrigues Movement (Mouvement Rodriguais) or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]
Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR [Serge CLAIR]


Political pressure groups and leaders:
LALIT Political Party


International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Somduth SOBORUN (since 28 January 2011)
chancery:1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; administrative offices - 3201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:[1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492
FAX:[1] (202) 966-0983


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Sharon VILLAROSA (since 10 September 2012; note - also accredited to Seychelles
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


Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island


National anthem:
name:'Motherland'

lyrics/music:Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL
note:adopted 1968

Economy

Economy - overview:
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. Mauritius has achieved steady and strong growth over the last several decades, resulting 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). Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped to mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-13, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.95 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$20.26 billion (2012 est.)
$19.61 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.9 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
3.4% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
3.3% (2012 est.)
3.8% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,100 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$15,600 (2012 est.)
$15,200 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
32% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
32% of GDP (2012 est.)
31% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:74.1%
government consumption:13.2%
investment in fixed capital:22%
investment in inventories:1.5%
exports of goods and services:54.6%
imports of goods and services:-65.4%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:4.5%
industry:22%
services:73.4% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish


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


Industrial production growth rate:
0.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Labor force:
637,600 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153


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


Unemployment rate:
8.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
8.1% (2012 est.)


    Population below poverty line:
8% (2006 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:NA%
highest 10%:NA%


Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
37 (1987 est.)


Budget:
revenues:$2.507 billion
expenditures:$2.736 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85


Public debt:
58% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
57.7% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
3.9% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2010 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
8.67% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$2.475 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$2.378 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$11.73 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$11.38 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$13.03 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$12.87 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$1.099 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
-$1.175 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$2.788 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$2.673 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish, primates (for research)


Exports - partners:
UK 19.3%, France 16.4%, US 9.9%, South Africa 9.8%, Spain 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Madagascar 6.8% (2012)


Imports:
$4.953 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$5.104 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals


Imports - partners:
India 23.1%, China 16%, France 8.5%, South Africa 6.5% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.286 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
$3.046 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$2.894 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
$2.606 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
NA


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
NA


Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar -
30.89 (2013 est.)
30.051 (2012 est.)
30.784 (2010 est.)
31.96 (2009)
27.973 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
2.628 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131


Electricity - consumption:
2.358 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137


Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168


Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
900,200 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
75.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
6.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
17.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
24,710 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199


Refined petroleum products - imports:
20,620 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
5.06 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
349,100 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 109


Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.485 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 152


Telephone system:
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 current teledensity roughly 100 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 (2011)



    Broadcast media:
the government maintains control over TV broadcasting through the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which operates 3 analog and 10 digital TV stations; MBC is a shareholder in a local company that operates 2 pay-TV stations; the state retains the largest radio broadcast network with multiple stations; several private radio broadcasters have entered the market since 2001; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)


Internet country code:
.mu


Internet hosts:
51,139 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 95


Internet users:
290,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 131

Transportation

Airports
5 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 180


Airports - with paved runways
total:2
over 3,047 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:3
914 to 1,523 m:2
under 914 m:
1 (2013)


    Roadways
total:2,149 kmcountry comparison to the world: 173
paved:2,149 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2012)


Merchant marine
total:4country comparison to the world: 129
by type:passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2010)



Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Port Louis

Military

Military branches
no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2011)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:343,628 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:280,596
females age 16-49:283,317 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:10,193
female:10,104 (2010 est.)


Military expenditures
0.19% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 130
0.16% of GDP (2011)
0.19% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands; claims French-administered Tromelin Island


    Illicit drugs
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
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook