Mauritius (2001) | Isle of Man (2002) | |
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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 | there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections |
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.) |
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 6,601; female 6,324)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 24,206; female 24,010) 65 years and over: 17.2% (male 5,097; female 7,635) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry |
Airports | 5 (2000 est.) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
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Area | 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 |
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Celtic language. |
Birth rate | 16.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 11.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.1 billion expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. ) |
Capital | Port Louis | Douglas |
Climate | tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time |
Coastline | 177 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not embody the Manx Constitution |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man |
Currency | Mauritian rupee (MUR) | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound |
Death rate | 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 11.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.9 billion (1998 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $42 million (1997) | $NA |
Economy - overview | 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. | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.172 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.26 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
91.27% hydro: 8.73% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m |
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton |
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) | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | 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% |
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since NA 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Richard CORKILL (since 6 December 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 6 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006) election results: Richard CORKILL elected chief minister by the Tynwald |
Exports | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb |
Exports - partners | UK 32%, France 19%, US 15%, Germany 6%, Italy 4% (1999 est.) | UK |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.4 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
10% industry: 29% services: 61% (1996) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $10,400 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18,800 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 7.5% (2000 est.) | 13.5% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 17 S, 57 33 E | 54 15 N, 4 30 W |
Geography - note | - | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary |
Highways | total:
1,910 km paved: 1,834 km (including 36 km of expressways) unpaved: 76 km (1998) |
total: 800 km
paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996) | timber, fertilizers, fish |
Imports - partners | France 14%, South Africa 11%, India 8%, UK 5% (1999 est.) | UK |
Independence | 12 March 1968 (from UK) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (2000 est.) | 3.2% (FY96/97 ) |
Industries | food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.3% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (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 | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | 170 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) |
Labor force | 514,000 (1995) | 36,610 (1998) |
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) | agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
49% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 22% other: 23% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori | English, Manx Gaelic |
Legal system | based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas | English common law and Manx statute |
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 |
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.25 years male: 67.26 years female: 75.31 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 77.81 years
male: 74.44 years female: 81.36 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland |
Map references | World | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 12 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.) |
total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,540,100 GRT/9,130,508 DWT
ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 34, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 2, container 29, liquefied gas 24, petroleum tanker 46, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 45, France 1, Germany 48, Greece 6, Hong Kong 10, Iceland 1, Italy 8, Monaco 7, Netherlands 3, Norway 5, Sweden 4, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 70, United States 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
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.) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 12 March (1968) | Tynwald Day, 5 July |
Nationality | noun:
Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian |
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
Natural hazards | cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards | NA |
Natural resources | arable land, fish | none |
Net migration rate | -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] | Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
note: most members sit as independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | various labor unions | none |
Population | 1,189,825 (July 2001 est.) | 73,873 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 10.6% (1992 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.88% (2001 est.) | 0.52% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Port Louis | Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 420,000 (1997) | NA |
Railways | 0 km | total: 68.5 km (43.5 km electrified) (2001) |
Religions | Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1% | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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 |
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 223,000 (1997) | 51,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 37,000 (1997) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997) | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) |
Terrain | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau | hills in north and south bisected by central valley |
Total fertility rate | 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.4% (1999 est.) | 0.7% (February 2002 ) |
Waterways | none | none |