2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Mauritius 
  n  1:  a  parliamentary  state  on  the  island  of  Mauritius  [syn:  {Mauritius}] 
  2:  an  island  in  the  Indian  Ocean  [syn:  {Mauritius}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Mauritius 
 
  Mauritius:Geography 
 
  Location:  Southern  Africa,  island  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  east  of 
  Madagascar 
 
  Map  references:  World 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  1,860  sq  km 
  land  area:  1,850  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  less  than  10.5  times  the  size  of 
  Washington,  DC 
  note:  includes  Agalega  Islands,  Cargados  Carajos  Shoals  (Saint 
  Brandon),  and  Rodrigues 
 
  Land  boundaries:  0  km 
 
  Coastline:  177  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  continental  shelf:  200  nm  or  to  the  edge  of  the  continental  margin 
  exclusive  economic  zone:  200  nm 
  territorial  sea:  12  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  claims  UK-administered  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: 
  arable  land:  54% 
  permanent  crops:  4% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  4% 
  forest  and  woodland:  31% 
  other:  7% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  170  sq  km  (1989  est.) 
 
  Environment: 
  current  issues:  water  pollution 
  natural  hazards:  cyclones  (November  to  April);  almost  completely 
  surrounded  by  reefs  that  may  pose  maritime  hazards 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Biodiversity,  Climate  Change, 
  Endangered  Species,  Environmental  Modification,  Hazardous  Wastes,  Law 
  of  the  Sea,  Marine  Life  Conservation,  Nuclear  Test  Ban,  Ozone  Layer 
  Protection 
 
  Mauritius:People 
 
  Population:  1,127,068  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  28%  (female  152,892;  male  158,891) 
  15-64  years:  66%  (female  376,049;  male  372,910) 
  65  years  and  over:  6%  (female  39,088;  male  27,238)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  0.89%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  18.91  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  6.38  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -3.64  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  17.8  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  70.84  years 
  male:  66.9  years 
  female:  74.95  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  2.2  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Mauritian(s) 
  adjective:  Mauritian 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  Indo-Mauritian  68%,  Creole  27%,  Sino-Mauritian  3%, 
  Franco-Mauritian  2% 
 
  Religions:  Hindu  52%,  Christian  28.3%  (Roman  Catholic  26%,  Protestant 
  2.3%),  Muslim  16.6%,  other  3.1% 
 
  Languages:  English  (official),  Creole,  French,  Hindi,  Urdu,  Hakka, 
  Bojpoori 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1990) 
  total  population:  80% 
  male:  85% 
  female:  75% 
 
  Labor  force:  335,000 
  by  occupation:  government  services  29%,  agriculture  and  fishing  27%, 
  manufacturing  22%,  other  22% 
 
  Mauritius:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Republic  of  Mauritius 
  conventional  short  form:  Mauritius 
 
  Digraph:  MP 
 
  Type:  parliamentary  democracy 
 
  Capital:  Port  Louis 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  9  districts  and  3  dependencies*;  Agalega 
  Islands*,  Black  River,  Cargados  Carajos*,  Flacq,  Grand  Port,  Moka, 
  Pamplemousses  Plaines  Wilhems  Port  Louis,  Riviere  du  Rempart, 
  Rodrigues*,  Savanne 
 
  Independence:  12  March  1968  (from  UK) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  12  March  (1968) 
 
  Constitution:  12  March  1968;  amended  12  March  1992 
 
  Legal  system:  based  on  French  civil  law  system  with  elements  of 
  English  common  law  in  certain  areas 
 
  Suffrage:  18  years  of  age;  universal 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state:  President  Cassam  UTEEM  (since  1  July  1992);  Vice 
  President  Rabindranath  GHURBURRON  (since  1  July  1992) 
  head  of  government:  Prime  Minister  Sir  Anerood  JUGNAUTH  (since  12  June 
  1982);  Deputy  Prime  Minister  Prem  NABABSING  (since  26  September  1990) 
  cabinet:  Council  of  Ministers;  appointed  by  the  president  on 
  recommendation  of  the  prime  minister 
 
  Legislative  branch:  unicameral 
  Legislative  Assembly:  elections  last  held  on  15  September  1991  (next 
  to  be  held  by  15  September  1996);  results  -  MSM/MMM  53%,  MLP/PMSD  38%; 
  seats  -  (66  total)  MSM/MMM  alliance  59  (MSM  29,  MMM  26,  OPR  2,  MTD  2), 
  MLP/PMSD  4  (MLP  3,  PMSD  1);  note  -  the  Supreme  Court  denied  the 
  assignment  of  3  seats  to  the  MSM 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders: 
  government  coalition:  Militant  Socialist  Movement  (MSM),  A.  JUGNAUTH 
  Mauritian  Militant  Resurgence  (RMM),  Prem  NABABSING  (less  10 
  legislators  under  the  leadership  of  Paul  BERENGER  now  voting  with  the 
  opposition);  Mauritian  Social  Democratic  Party  (PMSD),  X.  DUVAL; 
  Organization  of  the  People  of  Rodrigues  (OPR),  Louis  Serge  CLAIR; 
  Democratic  Labor  Movement  (MTD),  Anil  BAICHOO 
  opposition:  Mauritian  Labor  Party  (MLP),  Navin  RAMGOOLMAN 
  MMM-Berenger  Faction,  Paul  BERENGER  Socialist  Workers  Front,  Sylvio 
  MICHEL 
 
  Other  political  or  pressure  groups:  various  labor  unions 
 
  Member  of:  ACCT,  ACP,  AfDB  C,  CCC,  ECA,  FAO,  G-77,  GATT,  IAEA,  IBRD, 
  ICAO,  ICFTU  ICRM,  IDA,  IFAD,  IFC,  IFRCS  ILO,  IMF,  IMO,  INMARSAT 
  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL,  IOC,  ISO  (correspondent),  ITU,  NAM,  OAU,  PCA,  UN 
  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UNIDO  UPU,  WCL,  WFTU  WHO  WIPO,  WMO,  WTO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Anund  Priyay  NEEWOOR 
  chancery:  Suite  441,  4301  Connecticut  Avenue  NW  Washington,  DC  20008 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  244-1491,  1492 
  FAX:  [1]  (202)  966-0983 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Leslie  M.  ALEXANDER 
  embassy:  4th  Floor,  Rogers  House,  John  Kennedy  Street,  Port  Louis 
  mailing  address:  use  embassy  street  address 
  telephone:  [230]  208-9763  through  9767 
  FAX:  [230]  208-9534 
 
  Flag:  four  equal  horizontal  bands  of  red  (top),  blue,  yellow,  and 
  green 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  Since  independence  in  1968,  Mauritius  has  developed  from  a 
  low  income,  agriculturally  based  economy  to  middle  income  diversified 
  economy  with  growing  industrial  and  tourist  sectors.  For  most  of  the 
  period  annual  growth  has  been  of  the  order  of  5%  to  6%.  This 
  remarkable  achievement  has  been  reflected  in  increased  life 
  expectancy,  lowered  infant  mortality,  and  a  much  improved 
  infrastructure.  Sugarcane  is  grown  on  about  90%  of  the  cultivated  land 
  area  and  accounts  for  40%  of  export  earnings.  The  government's 
  development  strategy  centers  on  industrialization  (with  a  view  to 
  modernization  and  to  exports),  agricultural  diversification,  and 
  tourism.  Economic  performance  in  1991-93  continued  strong  with  solid 
  real  growth  and  low  unemployment. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $9.3  billion  (1993 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  4.7%  (1993  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $8,600  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  9.4%  (1993  est.) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  2.4%  (1991  est.) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $653  million 
  expenditures:  $567  million,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $143 
  million  (FY92/93  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $1.32  billion  (f.o.b.,  1993  est.) 
  commodities:  textiles  44%,  sugar  40%,  light  manufactures  10% 
  partners:  EC  and  US  have  preferential  treatment,  EC  77%,  US  15% 
 
  Imports:  $1.7  billion  (f.o.b.,  1993  est.) 
  commodities:  manufactured  goods  50%,  capital  equipment  17%,  foodstuffs 
  13%,  petroleum  products  8%,  chemicals  7% 
  partners:  EC  US  South  Africa,  Japan 
 
  External  debt:  $996.8  million  (1993  est.) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  5.8%  (1992);  accounts  for  25%  of 
  GDP 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  340,000  kW 
  production:  920  million  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  777  kWh  (1993) 
 
  Industries:  food  processing  (largely  sugar  milling),  textiles,  wearing 
  apparel,  chemicals,  metal  products,  transport  equipment,  nonelectrical 
  machinery,  tourism 
 
  Agriculture:  accounts  for  10%  of  GDP;  about  90%  of  cultivated  land  in 
  sugarcane;  other  products  -  tea,  corn,  potatoes,  bananas,  pulses, 
  cattle,  goats,  fish;  net  food  importer,  especially  rice  and  fish 
 
  Illicit  drugs:  illicit  producer  of  cannabis  for  the  international  drug 
  trade  heroin  consumption  and  transshipment  are  growing  problems 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-89),  $76  million; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries  (1970-89),  $709  million;  Communist 
  countries  (1970-89),  $54  million 
 
  Currency:  1  Mauritian  rupee  (MauR)  =  100  cents 
 
  Exchange  rates:  Mauritian  rupees  (MauRs)  per  US$1  -  17.755  (January 
  1995),  17.960  (1994),  17.648  (1993),  15.563  (1992),  15.652  (1991), 
  14.839  (1990) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  1  July  -  30  June 
 
  Mauritius:Transportation 
 
  Railroads:  0  km 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  1,800  km 
  paved:  1,640  km 
  unpaved:  earth  160  km 
 
  Ports:  Port  Louis 
 
  Merchant  marine: 
  total:  16  ships  (1,000  GRT  or  over)  totaling  191,703  GRT/297,347  DWT 
  ships  by  type:  bulk  5,  cargo  8,  liquefied  gas  tanker  1,  oil  tanker  1, 
  passenger-cargo  1 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  5 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  1 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  1 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  2 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  1 
 
  Mauritius:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  over  48,000  telephones;  small  system  with  good 
  service 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  utilizes  primarily  microwave  radio  relay 
  international:  1  INTELSAT  (Indian  Ocean)  earth  station;  new  microwave 
  link  to  Reunion;  high-frequency  radio  links  to  several  countries 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  2,  FM  0,  shortwave  0 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  4 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Mauritius:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  National  Police  Force  (includes  the  paramilitary  Special 
  Mobile  Force  or  SMF,  Special  Support  Units  or  SSU,  and  National  Coast 
  Guard) 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  321,947;  males  fit  for  military 
  service  163,904  (1995  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $11.2  million,  0.4% 
  of  GDP  (FY92/93) 
 
 
 

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