Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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.
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
total: 2,040 sq km
country 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
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
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
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
arable land: 38.24%
permanent crops: 1.96%
other: 59.8% (2011)
total: 0.73 cu km/yr (30%/3%/68%)
per capita: 568.2 cu m/yr (2003)
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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
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
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
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)
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
1,322,238 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
0-14 years: 21.3% (male 143,874/female 137,850)
15-24 years: 15.7% (male 104,861/female 102,671)
25-54 years: 44.3% (male 292,714/female 293,590)
55-64 years: 10.6% (male 66,460/female 73,964)
65 years and over: 8% (male 42,718/female 63,536) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 39.8 %
youth dependency ratio: 27.6 %
elderly dependency ratio: 12.2 %
potential support ratio: 8.2 (2013)
total: 33.5 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.4 years (2013 est.)
0.68% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
13.62 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
urban population: 41.8% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
PORT LOUIS (capital) 149,000 (2009)
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: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
60 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 100
total: 10.89 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 138
male: 12.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 74.94 years
country comparison to the world: 101
male: 71.48 years
female: 78.58 years (2013 est.)
1.78 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
5.9% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 115
1.06 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
3.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)
1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
8,800 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
18.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 105
3.7% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 122
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.8%
male: 91.1%
female: 86.7% (2011 est.)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2008)
total: 23.7%
country comparison to the world: 44
male: 20.4%
female: 28.4% (2012)
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius
local long form: Republic of Mauritius
local short form: Mauritius
name: Port Louis
geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
12 March 1968 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968; amended many times, last in 2012 (2012)
civil legal system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
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; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA
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
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)
Alliance of the Future or AF [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLP, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMSD)
other: various labor unions
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
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Shari 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
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
name: "Motherland"
lyrics/music: Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL
note: adopted 1968
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 this period, annual growth has been on the order of 5% to 6%. This 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). 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 2010-12, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe.
$19.98 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$11.31 billion (2012 est.)
3.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$15,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
32% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
household consumption: 74%
government consumption: 13.4%
investment in fixed capital: 23%
investment in inventories: 1.5%
exports of goods and services: 54.8%
imports of goods and services: -66.7%
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 22.7%
services: 72.8% (2012 est.)
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
0.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
626,900 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
agriculture and fishing: 9%
construction and industry: 30%
transportation and communication: 7%
trade, restaurants, hotels: 22%
finance: 6%
other services: 25% (2007)
8.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
revenues: $2.456 billion
expenditures: $2.664 billion (2012 est.)
21.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
-1.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
57.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
3.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
9% (31 December 2010 est.)
8.67% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$2.378 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
$26.17 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$12.87 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$6.54 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 80
$-1.175 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$2.673 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
UK 19.3%, France 16.4%, US 9.9%, South Africa 9.8%, Spain 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Madagascar 6.8% (2012)
$5.104 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
India 23.1%, China 16%, France 8.5%, South Africa 6.5% (2012)
$3.046 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
$2.606 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar -
2.628 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
2.358 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
900,200 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
75.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
6.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
17.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 164
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
24,710 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
20,620 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 171
5.06 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
349,100 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 109
1.485 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 152
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)
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)
51,139 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 95
290,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 131
5 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 180
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m:
total: 2,149 km
country comparison to the world: 173
paved: 2,149 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2012)
total: 4
country comparison to the world: 129
by type: passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2010)
major seaport(s): Port Louis
no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2011)
males age 16-49: 343,628 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 280,596
females age 16-49: 283,317 (2010 est.)
male: 10,193
female: 10,104 (2010 est.)
0.19% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 394
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
