Mauritius (2007) | United Arab Emirates (2002) | |
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 | 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn |
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: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish | dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
Airports | 5 (2007) | 38 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 19 22
over 3,047 m: 8 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 3 under 914 m: 4 4 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 19 19
over 3,047 m: 1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 9 under 914 m: 5 5 (2002) |
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: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Maine |
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. | The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. |
Birth rate | 15.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.236 billion
expenditures: $1.562 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) |
revenues: $20 billion
expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 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) |
Abu Dhabi |
Climate | tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) | desert; cooler in eastern mountains |
Coastline | 177 km | 1,318 km |
Constitution | 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 | 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996) |
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: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE |
Currency | - | Emirati dirham (AED) |
Death rate | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.419 billion (2006 est.) | $12.6 billion (2001 est.) |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 |
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 | Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, and the UAE-Oman boundary line was formally recognized in June 2000;; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) |
Economic aid - donor | - | $NA |
Economic aid - recipient | $31.93 million (2005) | - |
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 UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.973 billion kWh (2005) | 35.991 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 2.122 billion kWh (2005) | 38.7 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs | lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% | Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) |
Exchange rates | Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002) | Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96) |
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: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $47.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses | crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates |
Exports - partners | UK 32.5%, France 15.1%, UAE 11.4%, US 8.3%, Madagascar 4.8% (2006) | Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5.2%
industry: 25.2% services: 69.6% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 46% services: 51% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2006 est.) | 5.6% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 17 S, 57 33 E | 24 00 N, 54 00 E |
Geography - note | the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs | strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil |
Heliports | - | 2 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 4,835 km
paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) |
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 | The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002 |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | France 14.3%, India 13.6%, China 8.6%, South Africa 7.3% (2006) | Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999) |
Independence | 12 March 1968 (from UK) | 2 December 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (2000 est.) | 4% (2000) |
Industries | food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism | petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling |
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.) |
16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 8.9% (2006 est.) | 4.5% (2000 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 | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 220 sq km (2003) | 720 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 541,000 (2006 est.) | 1.6 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (2000 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) | services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
Land use | arable land: 49.02%
permanent crops: 2.94% other: 48.04% (2005) |
arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.49% other: 99.03% (1998 est.) |
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) | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu |
Legal system | based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations | federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts |
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 Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.88 years
male: 68.92 years female: 76.9 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 74.52 years
male: 72.06 years female: 77.1 years (2002 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 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Political Map of the World | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
contiguous zone: 24 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: 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) |
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2007) | Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1.6 billion (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.3% (2006 est.) | 3.1% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 773,938
note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 25,482 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 March (1968) | Independence Day, 2 December (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian |
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati |
Natural hazards | cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards | frequent sand and dust storms |
Natural resources | arable land, fish | petroleum, natural gas |
Net migration rate | -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km |
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 | NA |
Population | 1,250,882 (July 2007 est.) | 2,445,989
note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 10% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.798% (2007 est.) | 1.58% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | - | 820,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
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) | Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% |
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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.46 male(s)/female total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none |
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: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 357,300 (2006) | 915,223 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 772,400 (2006) | 1 million (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) | 15 (1997) |
Terrain | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
Total fertility rate | 1.94 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.4% (2006 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |