What countries border Mauritius?
What is the current weather in Mauritius?
What is Mauritius famous for?
What is the capital of Mauritius?
Capital | Port Louis |
Government Type | parliamentary republic |
Currency | Mauritius Rupee (MUR) |
Total Area |
788 Square Miles 2,040 Square Kilometers |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
Language | English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.2% |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $19,500.00 (USD) |
What is the population of Mauritius?
Ethnic Groups | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% |
Nationality Noun | Mauritian(s) |
Population | 1,379,365 |
Population Growth Rate | 0.68% |
Population in Major Urban Areas | PORT LOUIS (capital) 151,000 |
Urban Population | 41.800000 |
What type of government does Mauritius have?
Executive Branch |
chief of state: President Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (since 2 December 2019); Vice President Marie Cyril EDDY Boissézon (since 2 December 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Pravind JUGNAUTH (since 23 January 2017); note - Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH stepped down on 23 January 2017 in favor of his son, Pravind Kumar JUGNAUTH, who was then appointed prime minister; following 7 November 2019 parliamentary elections, Pravind JUGNAUTH remained prime minister and home affairs minister and also became defense minister cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; election last held on 7 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly election results: 2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote 2015: Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (independent) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote; note - GURIB-FAKIM, who was Mauritius' first female president, resigned on 23 March 2018; acting presidents served from March 2018 until ROOPUN's appointment in 2019 |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
Citizenship |
citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months |
National Holiday | Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968 & 1992); note - became independent and a republic on the same date in 1968 and 1992 respectively |
Constitution |
history: several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; amended many times, last in 2016 |
Independence | 12 March 1968 (from the UK) |
What environmental issues does Mauritius have?
Overview | The Island of Mauritius, volcanic in origin, lies in the southwest Indian Ocean just within the Tropic of Capricorn, 1,250 miles from the African coast and 500 miles east of Madagascar. It is about 40 miles long and 30 miles wide, with an area of 720 square miles. In the center, an extensive plateau rises to 1,900 feet with three mountain ranges bordering the central tableland |
Climate | Mauritius has a maritime climate with slight differences between tropical summer and subtropical winter. Humidity is high, and annual rainfall along the central plateau's western slopes totals nearly 200 inches. In Floreal the winter low can drop to 50°F with high winds and rain, making it seem much colder. The summer daytime high is in the 80s with nighttime temperatures about 10°F cooler. Temperatures in Port Louis and at the beach are about 10°F higher than elsewhere on the island. Rainy and dry seasons are not well defined, and vegetation remains green all year. Cyclones threaten the island between November and April. |
Environment - Current Issues | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs |
Environment - International Agreements |
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Terrain | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau |
How big is the Mauritius economy?
Economic Overview |
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper middle-income economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Mauritius has achieved steady growth over the last several decades, resulting in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy currently depends on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, but is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, education, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area but sugar makes up only around 3-4% of national GDP. Authorities plan to emphasize services and innovation in the coming years. After several years of slow growth, government policies now seek to stimulate economic growth in five areas: serving as a gateway for international investment into Africa; increasing the use of renewable energy; developing smart cities; growing the ocean economy; and upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including public transportation, the port, and the airport. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. The Mauritius International Financial Center is under scrutiny by international bodies promoting fair tax competition and Mauritius has been cooperating with the European Union and the United states in the automatic exchange of account information. Mauritius is also a member of the OECD/G20’s Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and is under pressure to review its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. The offshore sector is vulnerable to changes in the tax framework and authorities have been working on a Financial Services Sector Blueprint to enable Mauritius to transition to a jurisdiction of higher value added. Mauritius’ textile sector has taken advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade program that allows duty free access to the US market, with Mauritian exports to the US growing by 35.6 % from 2000 to 2014. However, lack of local labor as well as rising labor costs eroding the competitiveness of textile firms in Mauritius. Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-17, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe. Growth in the US and Europe fostered goods and services exports, including tourism, while lower oil prices kept inflation low. Mauritius continues to rank as one of the most business-friendly environments on the continent and passed a Business Facilitation Act to improve competitiveness and long-term growth prospects. A new National Economic Development Board was set up in 2017-2018 to spearhead efforts to promote exports and attract inward investment. |
Industries | food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism |
Currency Name and Code | Mauritius Rupee (MUR) |
Export Partners | UK 30.5%, France 20.3%, US 20.2%, Madagascar 4% |
Import Partners | South Africa 12.6%, France 11%, China 8.5%, India 7.3%, Australia 4% |
What current events are happening in Mauritius?
Source: Google News
What makes Mauritius a unique country to travel to?