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mauritius |
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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