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Africa :: Mauritius
page last updated on May 5, 2010
Flag of Mauritius
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Mauritius
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Map of Mauritius
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Introduction ::Mauritius
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Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
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Geography ::Mauritius
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Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
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20 17 S, 57 33 E
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total: 2,040 sq km
country comparison to the world: 180
land: 2,030 sq km
water: 10 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
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almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
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0 km
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177 km
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measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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Current Weather
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
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small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
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arable land, fish
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arable land: 49.02%
permanent crops: 2.94%
other: 48.04% (2005)
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220 sq km (2003)
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2.2 cu km (2001)
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total: 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%)
per capita: 488 cu m/yr (2000)
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cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
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water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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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
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the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species
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People ::Mauritius
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1,294,104 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
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0-14 years: 22.2% (male 146,009/female 140,759)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 453,780/female 459,739)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 37,518/female 56,299) (2010 est.)
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total: 32.3 years
male: 31.4 years
female: 33.2 years (2010 est.)
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0.751% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
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14.17 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
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6.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
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-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
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urban population: 42% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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total: 11.85 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 142
male: 14.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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total population: 74.25 years
country comparison to the world: 98
male: 70.77 years
female: 77.89 years (2010 est.)
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1.8 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
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1.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
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13,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
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fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
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noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian
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Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
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Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
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Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.4%
male: 88.4%
female: 80.5% (2000 census)
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total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 13 years (2005)
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3.9% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 110
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Government ::Mauritius
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conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius
local long form: Republic of Mauritius
local short form: Mauritius
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parliamentary democracy
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name: Port Louis
geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
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12 March 1968 (from the UK)
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Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
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12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
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based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Angidi Veeriah CHETTIAR (since 24 August 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
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elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%
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unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held on 5 May 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2
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Supreme Court
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Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan DULLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
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other: various labor unions
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ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joyker NAYECK
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
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chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Jo WILLS
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450
telephone: [230] 202-4400
FAX: [230] 208-9534
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four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents the blood shed for independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island
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Economy ::Mauritius
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Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). In 2009, GDP grew 2.1%.
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$15.9 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
$15.58 billion (2008 est.)
$14.82 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
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$9.264 billion (2009 est.)
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2.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
5.1% (2008 est.)
5.5% (2007 est.)
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$12,400 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$12,200 (2008 est.)
$11,700 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
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agriculture: 4.7%
industry: 24.9%
services: 70.5% (2009 est.)
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594,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
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agriculture and fishing: 9%
construction and industry: 30%
transportation and communication: 7%
trade, restaurants, hotels: 22%
finance: 6%
other services: 25% (2007)
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7.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
7.2% (2008 est.)
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8% (2006 est.)
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
37 (1987 est.)
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23.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
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revenues: $1.857 billion
expenditures: $2.19 billion (2009 est.)
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58.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
56.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
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3.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
9.7% (2008 est.)
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NA%
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21.54% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 14
21.87% (31 December 2007)
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$1.68 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 83
$1.673 billion (31 December 2007)
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$6.914 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 65
$6.759 billion (31 December 2007)
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$9.323 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 78
$8.582 billion (31 December 2007)
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$3.443 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 81
$5.666 billion (31 December 2007)
$3.598 billion (31 December 2006)
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sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
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food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
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2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
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2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
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2.158 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
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23,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
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0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
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22,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
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0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
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0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
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-$868 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
-$972.8 million (2008 est.)
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$2.055 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$2.4 billion (2008 est.)
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clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
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UK 30.8%, France 15.2%, US 8.6%, Italy 6.6%, Belgium 5.3%, UAE 5.1%, Madagascar 4.1% (2008)
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$3.552 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$4.399 billion (2008 est.)
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manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
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India 23.8%, France 11.4%, South Africa 9.6%, China 7.9% (2008)
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$1.428 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
$1.785 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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$4.567 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$5.077 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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$NA
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$NA
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Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 32.624 (2009), 27.973 (2008), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005)
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Communications ::Mauritius
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364,500 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 104
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1.033 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 144
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general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2008 reaching 80 per 100 persons
international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries (2008)
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AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)
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2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
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.mu
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22,813 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 99
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380,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 114
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Transportation ::Mauritius
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5 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 181
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total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
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total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
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total: 2,028 km
country comparison to the world: 173
paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)
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total: 3
country comparison to the world: 141
by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)
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Port Louis
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Military ::Mauritius
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no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2009)
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males age 16-49: 343,279 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 279,405
females age 16-49: 283,023 (2010 est.)
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male: 10,565
female: 10,447 (2010 est.)
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0.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
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Transnational Issues ::Mauritius
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Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
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consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
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