Geography
Area: 1,865 sq. km. (720 sq. mi.), about the size of Rhode Island; 500
miles east of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean.
Dependencies: Rodrigues Island, the Agalega Islands and Cargados
Carajos Shoals; Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos
Archipelago, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, where U.S.
Naval Support Facility at Diego Garcia is located.
Cities: Capital--Port Louis (pop.146,319). Other cities--Beau
Bassin and Rose Hill (105,377), Vacoas-Phoenix (101,789), Curepipe
(82,756), Quatre Bornes (77,145).
Terrain: Volcanic island surrounded by coral reefs. A central plateau
is rimmed by mountains.
Climate: Tropical; cyclone season mid-December-April.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Mauritian(s).
Population (2003): 1,228,965, including Rodrigues, Agalega, and St.
Brandon.
Avg. annual population growth (2001): 1%. Density--602/sq.
km.
Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-Mauritians 3%,
Franco-Mauritians 2%.
Christian singles note-Religions: Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim.
Languages: Creole (common), French, English (official), Hindi, Urdu,
Hakka, Bhojpuri.
Education: Years compulsory--6 (primary school). Attendance
(primary school)--virtually universal. Literacy--adult
population 85%; school population 90%.
Health (2001): Infant mortality rate--13.2/1000. Life
expectancy--male 68.6 yrs., female 75.5 yrs.
Work force (2003, 549,500): Manufacturing--27%; trade and
tourism--19.6%; government services--11%; agriculture
and fishing--9.4%; other--33%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: March 12, 1968 (became a republic in 1992).
Constitution: March 12, 1968.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister
(head of government), Council of Ministers. Legislative--Unicameral
National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 10.
Major political parties: Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), Mauritian
Militant Movement (MMM), Mauritian Labor Party (MLP).
Suffrage: Universal over 18.
Defense (2000): 1.7% of GDP.
Economy
GDP (2004) $6 billion.
Real growth rate (2004): 4.6%.
Per capita income (2004): $4,900.
Avg. inflation rate (2004): 4.8%.
Natural resources: None.
Agriculture (6.2% of GDP): Products--sugar, sugar derivatives,
tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fishing.
Manufacturing, including export processing zone (21.5% of GDP): Types--labor-intensive
goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks,
jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers.
Tourism sector (5.8% of GDP): Main countries of origin--France,
including nearby French island Reunion, South Africa, and west
European countries.
Financial services: 10% of GDP.
Trade (2003): Exports--$1.9 billion: textiles and clothing,
sugar, canned tuna, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys
and games, and flowers. Major markets--Europe and the U.S.
Imports--$2.3 billion: meat, dairy products, fish, wheat, rice,
wheat flour, vegetable oil, petroleum products, iron and steel,
cement, fertilizers, machinery and transport equipment, and textile
industry raw materials. Major suppliers--South Africa, France,
China, India, U.K., Japan, Australia, and Germany.
Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.
