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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Mauritius (2001)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Mauritius (2001)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Mauritius (2001)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryMauritius
Administrative divisions - 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
Age structure - 0-14 years:
25.53% (male 153,691; female 150,094)

15-64 years:
68.24% (male 404,940; female 407,056)

65 years and over:
6.23% (male 29,588; female 44,456) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products - sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Airports 1 (2001) 5 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total:
2

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total:
1,860 sq km

land:
1,850 sq km

water:
10 sq km

note:
includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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.
Birth rate - 16.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget - revenues:
$1.1 billion

expenditures:
$1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital - Port Louis
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline 698 km 177 km
Constitution - 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form:
Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form:
Mauritius
Currency - Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Death rate - 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external - $1.9 billion (1998 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador Mark W. ERWIN

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, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450

telephone:
[230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767

FAX:
[230] 208-9534
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador Usha JEETAH

chancery:
Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

FAX:
[1] (202) 966-0983
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Economic aid - recipient - $42 million (1997)
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. 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.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 1.172 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 1.26 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
91.27%

hydro:
8.73%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Piton 828 m
Environment - current issues NA water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups - Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Exchange rates - Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.900 (January 2001), 26.250 (2000), 25.186 (1999), 22.993 (1998), 21.057 (1997), 17.948 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state:
President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997)

head of government:
Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 17 September 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 17 September 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections:
president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly

election results:
Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%
Exports - $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities - clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses
Exports - partners - UK 32%, France 19%, US 15%, Germany 6%, Italy 4% (1999 est.)
Fiscal year - 1 July - 30 June
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
GDP - purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture:
10%

industry:
29%

services:
61% (1996)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $10,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 7.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 20 17 S, 57 33 E
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility -
Highways total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
total:
1,910 km

paved:
1,834 km (including 36 km of expressways)

unpaved:
76 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally
Imports - $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities - manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)
Imports - partners - France 14%, South Africa 11%, India 8%, UK 5% (1999 est.)
Independence - 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 8% (2000 est.)
Industries - food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
Infant mortality rate - 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 5.3% (2000 est.)
International organization participation - 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 170 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court
Labor force - 514,000 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation - construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land:
49%

permanent crops:
3%

permanent pastures:
3%

forests and woodland:
22%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
Languages - English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
Legislative branch - unicameral National Assembly (66 seats - 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005)

election results:
percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
Life expectancy at birth - total population:
71.25 years

male:
67.26 years

female:
75.31 years (2001 est.)
Literacy - definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
82.9%

male:
87.1%

female:
78.8% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references Political Map of the World World
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,909 GRT/87,313 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 2, combination bulk 2, container 2, liquefied gas 1, refrigerated cargo 2

note:
includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: India 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $11 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.3% (FY97/98)
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.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Nationality - noun:
Mauritian(s)

adjective:
Mauritian
Natural hazards NA cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane arable land, fish
Net migration rate - -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders - 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders - various labor unions
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
1,189,825 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line - 10.6% (1992 est.)
Population growth rate - 0.88% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Port Louis
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios NA 420,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions - Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Sex ratio - at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.67 male(s)/female

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
general assessment:
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
Telephones - main lines in use NA 223,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 2 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Total fertility rate - 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate - 6.4% (1999 est.)
Waterways none none
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