Statistical information Mauritius 1989

Mauritius in the World
top of pageBackground: Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505 Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch French and British before independence 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. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: none
Coastline: 177 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
ElevationNatural 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
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
top of pagePopulation: 1,120,564 (July 1989), growth rate 1.8% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Mauritian(s; adjective - Mauritian
Ethnic groups: 68% Indo-Mauritian, 27% Creole, 3% Sino-Mauritian, 2% Franco-Mauritian
Languages: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Religions: 51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans), 17% Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 21 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to cyclones (November to April; almost completely surrounded by reefs
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 73 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 79%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: none
Government 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Constitution: 12 March 1968
Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal over age 18
Executive branch: 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)
Legislative branch: paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC - International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4,301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492; US - Ambassador Ronald D. F. PALMER; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers Building, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone 82,347
Flag description
: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: about 90% of cultivated land area is planted in sugarcane; sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco; most food imported
Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 12.9% (FY87)
Labor force: 335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; 43% of population of working age (1985)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $351 million; expenditures $414 million, including capital expenditures of $76 million (FY87 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $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
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $545 million (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 14.257 (January 1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987), 13.466 (1986), 15.442 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 233,000 kW capacity; 423 million kWh produced, 380 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: NA
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 64,056 GRT/93,546 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 4 cargo, 1 liquefied gas, 1 bulk
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: claims Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs