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Compare Mauritius (2007) - Saint Helena (2007)

Compare Mauritius (2007) z Saint Helena (2007)

 Mauritius (2007)Saint Helena (2007)
 MauritiusSaint Helena
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 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 147,808/female 146,270)


15-64 years: 69.8% (male 436,043/female 437,441)


65 years and over: 6.7% (male 32,475/female 50,845) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 716/female 691)


15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,755/female 2,608)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 358/female 415) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock
Airports 5 (2007) 1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
-
Area total: 2,040 sq km


land: 2,030 sq km


water: 10 sq km


note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
total: 413 sq km


land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Background Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it 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. Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.


Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.


Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.


Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.
Birth rate 15.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 11.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.236 billion


expenditures: $1.562 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
revenues: $12.07 million


expenditures: $29.64 million


note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
Capital name: Port Louis


geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Jamestown


geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds


Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid


Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Coastline 177 km Saint Helena: 60 km


Ascension Island: NA


Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
Constitution 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 1 January 1989
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius


conventional short form: Mauritius


local long form: Republic of Mauritius


local short form: Mauritius
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Saint Helena
Death rate 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.63 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.419 billion (2006 est.) $NA
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE


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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH


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


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


FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international 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 none
Economic aid - recipient $31.93 million (2005) $27.25 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07)
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 more equitable income distribution, 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 expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. 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. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
Electricity - consumption 1.973 billion kWh (2005) 7.44 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 2.122 billion kWh (2005) 8 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m
Environment - current issues water pollution, degradation of coral reefs NA
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
-
Ethnic groups Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Exchange rates Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002) Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)


note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Executive branch chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)


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


elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly


election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports - partners UK 32.5%, France 15.1%, UAE 11.4%, US 8.3%, Madagascar 4.8% (2006) Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 April - 31 March
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.2%


industry: 25.2%


services: 69.6% (2006 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2006 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 20 17 S, 57 33 E Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W


Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W


Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Geography - note the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs 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 -
Imports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners France 14.3%, India 13.6%, China 8.6%, South Africa 7.3% (2006) UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006)
Independence 12 March 1968 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales
Infant mortality rate total: 14.14 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 17.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.9% (2006 est.) 3.2% (1997 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, 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, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO UPU
Irrigated land 220 sq km (2003) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Labor force 541,000 (2006 est.) 2,486


note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995) agriculture: 6%


industry: 48%


services: 46% (1987 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 49.02%


permanent crops: 2.94%


other: 48.04% (2005)
arable land: 12.9%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 87.1% (2005)
Languages 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) English
Legal system based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 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
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.88 years


male: 68.92 years


female: 76.9 years (2007 est.)
total population: 78.09 years


male: 75.19 years


female: 81.15 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.4%


male: 88.4%


female: 80.5% (2000 census)
definition: age 20 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1987 est.)
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Map references Political Map of the World Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,417 GRT/19,700 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: 2 (India 2) (2007)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2007) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.3% (2006 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 12 March (1968) Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun: Mauritian(s)


adjective: Mauritian
noun: Saint Helenian(s)


adjective: Saint Helenian


note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Natural hazards cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Natural resources arable land, fish fish, lobster
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance Sociale or AS; Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] (in coalition with MSM); Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM (the governing party) [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR] none
Political pressure groups and leaders various labor unions none
Population 1,250,882 (July 2007 est.) 7,543


note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.798% (2007 est.) 0.53% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001) Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0


Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
Religions Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census) Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.011 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.997 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female


total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.056 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female


total population: 1.031 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal NA years of age
Telephone system general assessment: small system with good service


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system


international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
general assessment: can communicate worldwide


domestic: automatic digital network


international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Telephones - main lines in use 357,300 (2006) 2,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 772,400 (2006) -
Television broadcast stations 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) 0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)
Terrain small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge


Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains


Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east


Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Total fertility rate 1.94 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Transportation - note - there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010
Unemployment rate 9.4% (2006 est.) 14% (1998 est.)
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