| Also on Encarta |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Basic Facts |
| Official name |
Republic of Mauritius |
|
| Capital |
Port Louis |
|
| Area |
2,040 sq km |
|
788 sq mi |
|
|
|
| Largest cities (population) |
|
| Port Louis |
143,000 (2003 estimate) |
|
|
| Beau Bassin |
103,872 (2000) |
|
|
| Vacoas |
100,066 (2000) |
|
|
| Curepipe |
78,920 (2000) |
|
|
| Quatre Bornes |
75,884 (2000) |
|
|
|
 |
| Mauritian Flag and Anthem |
 Expand |
|
|
| People |
| Population |
1,260,781 (2008 estimate) |
|
| Population growth rate |
0.78 per cent (2008 estimate) |
|
| Population density |
621 persons per sq km (2008 estimate) |
|
1,609 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate) |
|
|
|
| Urbanization |
| Per cent urban |
44 per cent (2005 estimate) |
|
|
| Per cent rural |
56 per cent (2005 estimate) |
|
|
|
| Life expectancy |
|
| Total |
73.1 years (2008 estimate) |
|
|
| Female |
77.2 years (2008 estimate) |
|
|
| Male |
69.2 years (2008 estimate) |
|
|
|
| Infant mortality rate |
| 14 deaths per 1,000 live births (2008 estimate) |
|
|
| Literacy rate |
| Total |
86.4 per cent (2005 estimate) |
|
|
| Female |
83.8 per cent (2005 estimate) |
|
|
| Male |
89.1 per cent (2005 estimate) |
|
|
|
| Ethnic divisions |
| Indian Mauritian |
68 per cent |
|
|
| Creole |
27 per cent |
|
|
| Chinese Mauritian |
3 per cent |
|
|
| French Mauritian |
2 per cent |
|
|
|
| Languages |
| French (official), English (official), Morisyen (Creole French), Bhojpuri, Urdu, Tamil |
|
|
| Religions |
| Hindu |
52 per cent |
|
|
| Christian |
28 per cent |
|
|
| Muslim |
17 per cent |
|
|
| Buddhist and other |
3 per cent |
|
|
|
| Government |
| Type of government |
Parliamentary democracy |
|
| Independence |
March 12, 1968 (from the United Kingdom) |
|
| Constitution |
March 12, 1968, amended on March 12, 1992 |
|
| Voting rights |
Universal at age 18 |
|
| Economy |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$) |
| 6,347 million (2006) |
|
|
| GDP per capita (US$) |
5,063.40 (2006) |
|
| GDP by economic sector |
| GDP, agriculture |
5.6 per cent (2006) |
|
|
| GDP, industry |
26.9 per cent (2006) |
|
|
| GDP, services |
67.6 per cent (2006) |
|
|
|
| National budget (US$) |
| Total revenue |
1,333 million (2006) |
|
|
| Total expenditure |
1,375 million (2006) |
|
|
|
| Monetary unit |
| 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR), consisting of 100 cents |
|
|
| Exports |
| Textiles, sugar, light manufactured goods, clothing, precious stones |
|
|
| Imports |
| Manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
|
|
| Major trading partners for exports |
| United Kingdom, France, United States, Germany, Italy |
|
|
| Major trading partners for imports |
| France, India, Hong Kong SAR, United Kingdom, Germany |
|
|
| Industries |
| Food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, non-electrical machinery, tourism |
|
|
| Agriculture |
| Principal products: tea, maize, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish |
|
|
| Natural resources |
| Arable land, fish |
|
|
| Sources: |
| Basic Facts and People sections<p />Area data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Population, population growth rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2001; (www.census.gov). Population density data are from the individual country statistical bureaus, and the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2001; (www.census.gov). Largest cities population data and administrative divisions data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Literacy rate data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database, 2001; (www.unesco.org). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database, 2001; (www.fao.org). Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, as well as various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the Ethnologue, Languages of the World, SIL International; (www.sil.org).<p />Government section<p />Government, independence, constitution, and voting rights data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook.<p />Economy section<p />Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sector, and national budget data are from the World Bank database, 2001; (www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, exports and imports, natural resources, agriculture, and industries information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook, and various International Monetary Fund (IMF) publications.<p /><p />Note: Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100 per cent. |
|
|
|
Hotmail
Messenger
My MSN
MSN Directory
