Three-fifths of the population are either Creole or of French descent, and two-fifths are Indian. Europeans and Chinese form smaller communities. Half of the population is Hindu, about one-third Christian, and the rest are Muslims. The number of languages in use among the various ethnic groups is large, but English is the official language, and Creole has become the lingua franca of the country.
The population density is one of the highest in the world. Overpopulation became a serious problem after eradication of malaria in the 1960s. The rate of natural increase has remained relatively high even though emigration reduced the annual rate of population growth in the 1980s. Almost one-third of the population is under 15 years old.
Mauritius was probably visited by the Arabs before the 10th century, the Malays in the 1400s, and the Portuguese in the early 1500s. It was occupied in 1598 by the Dutch, who named it for Maurice of Nassau, then stadtholder of The Netherlands. The Dutch left in 1710, and in 1715 the French took possession, renaming it Île de France. It was captured by the British in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars and was formally ceded to Britain in 1814. To offset the labor problem arising from abolition of slavery in the British Empire, the planters were allowed to import indentured laborers from India, and since 1861 the population has been mainly Indian.
The customs, laws, and language remained French, but the name Mauritius was reinstated. Slavery was abolished in 1835, and the slaves were replaced by Indian labourers. Mauritius prospered in the 1850s, but competition from beet sugar caused a decline. The malaria epidemic of 1866–68 drove shipping away from Port Louis, which further declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During World War I, when sugar prices rose, the economy prospered, but the depression of the 1930s changed the situation drastically, culminating in labour unrest in 1937. World War II did not improve the economic situation, and after 1945 economic reforms were introduced. Political and administrative reforms were also initiated, which led to the 1968 independence of Mauritius within the Commonwealth of Nations. The effects of Cyclone Claudette in late 1979 and of falling world sugar prices in the early 1980s led the government to initiate a vigorous program of agricultural diversification and to develop the processing of imported goods for the export market.
Mauritius was granted independence on March 12, 1968. A member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Afro-Malagasy Mauritian Common Organization, and the Organization of African Unity, Mauritius also has a special arrangement with the European Union under the Lomé Convention.
The Mauritius Labor Party (MLP), headed by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, governed Mauritius during the first 14 years of independence. The opposition Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) gained strength throughout the 1970s and in 1982 swept to power, under the leadership of Anerood Jugnauth. Ousted from the MMM in a power struggle, Jugnauth formed a new party, the Mauritian Socialist Movement (MSM), which, in alliance with the MLP, won a parliamentary majority in 1983. Jugnauth’s coalition was reelected in 1987 and 1991.
Interest in arts and letters and the sciences is promoted by voluntary associations. The island has produced talented poets and novelists. Representational and abstract painting flourishes. The national cultural institutions are the Mauritius Institute and the Mauritius Archives. The theatre is popular, and performances of comparatively high quality are given by local amateur groups. There are both public and institutional libraries.
The population of Mauritius (2001 estimate) is 1,189,825. The overall population density of 583 persons per sq km (1,511 per sq mi) is one of the highest in the world for countries. Port Louis, the capital and largest city, has a population (1998 estimate) of 147,131. More than two-thirds of the people are Indian immigrants and their descendants.
Mauritius is volcanic in origin and almost surrounded by coral reefs. The northern part is a plain and rises to a central plateau, varying in elevation from about 900 to 2,400 feet (270 to 730 m) above sea level. The plateau is bordered by small mountains that may have formed the rim of an ancient volcano; the highest point (2,711 feet [826 m]) is the Petite Rivière–Noire Peak in the southwest. The two major rivers, the Grand River South East (about 25 miles [40 km] long) and Grand River North West are also the major sources of hydroelectric power. Lake Vacoas, one of the major reservoirs, is the chief source of water supply.
The agricultural sector accounts for approximately one-eighth of the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs one-sixth of the work force. Sugar production, generating one-third of export earnings, occupies about 80 percent of the total arable land, and the country is heavily dependent on food imports, mainly rice. Tea production has expanded; other important crops include potatoes, tomatoes, coconuts, and bananas. Technical assistance from Japan and Australia is regenerating the fishing industry.
The economy of Mauritius has traditionally been dominated by a single cash crop, sugarcane. More than half the cultivated land is planted with sugarcane; sugar and molasses are major exports. Other crops include tea, peanuts, tobacco, and vegetables. Manufactures include refined sugar and sugar by-products, fertilizers, beverages, electronic components, and leather goods. The clothing and textile industry boomed during the 1980s, and tourism is increasingly important. The currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian rupee.
The industrial sector accounts for approximately one-quarter of the GDP but employs two-fifths of the work force. There has been a steady increase in manufacturing. The Mauritius Export Processing Zone, which concentrates on labour-intensive processing of imported raw materials or semifinished goods for the export market, has successfully attracted foreign investment. Economically important manufactures include textiles, electronics, plastic and leather goods, and synthetic gemstones. Electricity is largely generated from imported petroleum.
Services account for more than half of the GDP and employ two-fifths of the population. Significant growth in the tourism industry during the 1970s has made tourism a major earner of foreign exchange. An offshore banking facility began operations in 1989.
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 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 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Economic performance since 1991 has continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.
small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
People of mixed African and European descent, known as Creoles, constitute about a quarter of the total. Chinese and European minorities also exist. The majority of the Indo-Mauritians are Hindus; the rest are Muslims. Most Creoles are Roman Catholics. English is the official language, but Creole, a French patois, is commonly spoken. Other common languages are French, Hindi, and Bhojpuri.
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or OPR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]
From 1968 through 1991 Mauritius was a constitutional monarchy; executive power was nominally vested in the British monarch, as represented by a governor-general. In March 1992 the country became a republic. Under the 1992 constitution, the head of state is a president, elected to a five-year term by the legislature. The president appoints a prime minister (traditionally the leader of the majority party in the legislature), who is the chief executive. The legislative body is the National Assembly, which consists of 62 directly elected representatives and 4 others appointed by the Supreme Court to ensure representation of various ethnic groups. National Assembly members serve five-year terms.
International organization Member
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.
More than 90 percent of all children of primary-school age receive primary education. The standard of secondary education is very high, and the University of Mauritius (founded in 1965) has faculties of agriculture, technology, education, and administration.
Military branches: National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 339,473 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 171,206 (2001 est.)
claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island
