TOTAL AREA: 1,860 sq km (717 sq mi); LAND AREA: 1,850 sq km (713 sq mi); includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (St. Brandon) and Rodrigues
COMPARATIVE AREA: slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC
LAND BOUNDARIES: none
COASTLINE: 177 km (110 mi)
MARITIME CLAIMS:
CONTINENTAL SHELF: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
EXTENDED ECONOMIC ZONE: 200 nm
TERRITORIAL SEA: 12 nm
DISPUTES: claims Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
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
NATURAL RESOURCES: arable land, fish
LAND USE: 54% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated
ENVIRONMENT: subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
TEMPERATURE: in degrees Celsius (Fahrenheit)
Mar Jun Sep Dec
Rose Belle 26 (78) 21 (70) 21 (70) 25 (77)
PRECIPITATION: in centimeters (inches)
Mar Jun Sep Dec
Rose Belle 8 (15.1) 12 (4.6) 8 (3.3) 17 (6.8)
NOTE: located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
RELIGION: 51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans), 17% Muslim
LANGUAGE: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
LITERACY: 79%
LABOR FORCE: 335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; 43% of population of working age (1985)
ORGANIZED LABOR: 35% of labor force in more than 270 unions
.GOVERNMENT OF MAURITIUS
LONG-FORM NAME: none
TYPE: independent state, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State
CAPITAL: Port Louis
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: 5 urban councils and 3 district councils*; Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Moka-Flacq*, North*, Port Louis, Quatre Bornes, South*, Vacoas-Phoenix
INDEPENDENCE: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
CONSTITUTION: 12 March 1968
LEGAL SYSTEM: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
BRANCHES: executive power exercised by prime minister and 19-member Council of Ministers; unicameral legislature (Legislative Assembly) with 62 members elected by direct suffrage, eight specially elected under the so-called best loser system
CHIEF OF STATE: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Satcam BOOLELL (since 15 August 1988)
SUFFRAGE: universal over age 18
ELECTIONS: legislative 30 August 1987
POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS: the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. Jugnauth, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), S. Boolell; the main opposition union consists of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem Nababsingh; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio Michel; Democratic Labor Movement, Anil Baichoo; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. Duval
VOTING STRENGTH: Legislative Assembly election 30 August 1987 (70 seats total)--MSM 24 seats; opposition union--MMM 21 seats, MLP 10 seats, PMSD 5 seats, fringe parties and independents 10 seats
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492
U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE POST: Ambassador Ronald D. F. PALMER; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers Building, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone 082347
FLAG: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
.ECONOMY OF MAURITIUS
OVERVIEW: The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Despite significant expansion in other sectors over the past decade, sugarcane remains dominant and is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area, accounting for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. In FY87 estimated economic performance was impressive with a 5.4% real growth rate, low inflation, and substantially reduced unemployment.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $1,280; real growth rate 5.4% (FY87 est.)
BUDGET: revenues $351 million; expenditures $414 million, including capital expenditures of $76 million (FY87 est.)
EXPORTS: $676 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities-- textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%; partners-- EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%
IMPORTS: $684 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities-- manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%; partners-- EC, US, South Africa, Japan
EXTERNAL DEBT: $545 million (December 1988)
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: growth rate 12.9% (FY87)
ELECTRICITY: 233,000 kW capacity; 423 million kWh produced, 380 kWh per capita (1988)
INDUSTRIES: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
AGRICULTURE: about 90% of cultivated land area is planted in sugarcane; sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco; most food imported
AIRPORTS: 5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: small system with good service; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; 48,000 telephones; stations--2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station
.DEFENSE FORCES OF MAURITIUS
BRANCHES: paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force
MILITARY MANPOWER: males 15-49, 311,859; 160,885 fit for military service
MILITARY BUDGET: NA
.TRAVEL IN MAURITIUS
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Passport and onward/return ticket required. Visa not required for stay up to 3 months. Vaccination certificate not required unless arriving from an area infected with yellow fever.
HEALTH: Local hospitals and pharmacies are adequate. Tapwater is potable. Unwashed raw foods or undercooked meats are not safe to eat. Health requirements change; check latest information.
TOURIST OFFICES: Mauritius Tourist Information Service, New York Penta Hotel, 18th Floor, 401 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, Tel 212-239-8350. Mauritius Government Tourist Office, Emmanuel Anquetil Bldg., Sir S. Ramgoolam St., Port Louis, Mauritius, Tel 01-1703.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING: Humid year round, with major storms usually during the hot season from Dec-Apr; cool season from Jun-Sep. The lowlands are tropical; highlands somewhat cooler.
TELEPHONE: Calls to Mauritius should be made through the international operator.
TIME: 9 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time, and 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
ELECTRIC CURRENT: 230V
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS: (Dates vary from year to year: the following list is approximate): New Year's Day (Jan 1-2); Yaum-Um-Nabi (Jan 30); Cavadee (Jan 31); Maha Shivaratree (Feb 14); Spring Festival (Feb 16); Holi (Mar 2); Independence Day (Mar 12); Ougadi (Mar 17); Easter Monday (variable); Varusha Piruppu (Apr 13); Labor Day (May 1); Id al-Fitr, Id al-Adha (variable); Assumption Day (Aug 15); Ganesh Chaturhi (Sep 14); Autumn Festival (Sep 23); United Nations Day (Oct 24); All Saints' Day (Nov 1); Divali (Nov 7); Ganga Asnam (Nov 22); Christmas Day (Dec 25); Boxing Day (Dec 26).
IMPORTANT!! All requirements/recommendations are subject to change. Be sure to check latest information.
