Peru (2003) | Mauritius (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1 constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25 administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over the course of several years |
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: 33.5% (male 4,828,531; female 4,678,008)
15-64 years: 61.5% (male 8,794,799; female 8,689,072) 65 years and over: 5% (male 652,375; female 767,112) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish | sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish |
Airports | 233 (2002) | 5 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 49
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 184
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 100 (2002) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km |
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 |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alaska | almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government. | 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 | 22.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $10.4 billion
expenditures: $10.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
revenues: $1.1 billion
expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Lima | Port Louis |
Climate | varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes | tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) |
Coastline | 2,414 km | 177 km |
Constitution | 31 December 1993 | 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru |
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius |
Currency | nuevo sol (PEN) | Mauritian rupee (MUR) |
Death rate | 5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $29.2 billion (2002 est.) | $2.4 billion (2002 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John R. DAWSON
embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000 FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037 |
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, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington (DC) |
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 |
Disputes - international | Bolivia continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama corridor ceded to Chile in 1884 | Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island |
Economic aid - recipient | $895.1 million (1995) | $42 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | Thanks to foreign investment and the cooperation between the government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong in 1994-97 and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in Brazilian markets undercut growth. The following year was again lean year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial crisis working its way through the economy. Political instability resulting from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent departure from office limited growth in 2000. The downturn in the global economy further curtailed growth in 2001. President TOLEDO, who assumed the presidency in July 2001, has been working to reinvigorate the economy and reduce unemployment. Economic growth in 2002 is estimated at 4.8%, led by construction in the retail and gas sectors. | 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 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. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging foreign investment in the information technology field. |
Electricity - consumption | 19.15 billion kWh (2001) | 1.219 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 20.59 billion kWh (2001) | 1.311 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 14.5%
hydro: 84.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0.8% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 90.8%
hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% |
Exchange rates | nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.52 (2002), 3.51 (2001), 3.49 (2000), 3.38 (1999), 2.93 (1998) | Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25 (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001) note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president; note - Beatriz MERINO was asked to resign on 12 December 2003 and was replaced by Carlos FERRERO Costa three days later cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001, with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006 election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9% |
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003) 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 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 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 and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30 September 2003 |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton | clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses |
Exports - partners | US 28.1%, China 10.5%, UK 7%, Switzerland 6.1%, Japan 5.6% (2002) | UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath | four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $138.8 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 10%
industry: 27% services: 63% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.3% (2002 est.) | 2.3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 00 S, 76 00 W | 20 17 S, 57 33 E |
Geography - note | shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River | the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs |
Highways | total: 72,900 km
paved: 9,331 km unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.) |
total: 1,926 km
paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways) unpaved: 58 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1996) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium producer; cultivation of coca in Peru increased by 8% to 36,600 hectares between 2001 and the end of 2002; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa | minor 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 (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals | manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US 26.1%, Chile 7.9%, Spain 5.1%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 4.7%, Venezuela 4.7%, Argentina 4.3% (2002) | France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002) |
Independence | 28 July 1821 (from Spain) | 12 March 1968 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.5% (2002 est.) | 8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication | food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 36.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 42.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.2% (2002 est.) | 6.4% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, APEC, CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 10 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 11,950 sq km (1998 est.) | 200 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary) | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 7.5 million (2000 est.) | 514,000 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services | construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 5,536 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.38% other: 96.77% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara | English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri |
Legal system | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas |
Legislative branch | unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%, APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others 17 |
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: 70.88 years
male: 68.45 years female: 73.43 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 71.8 years
male: 67.82 years female: 75.85 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9% male: 95.2% female: 86.8% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6% male: 88.6% female: 82.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
Map references | South America | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200 NM
territorial sea: 200 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 (1,000 GRT or over) 29,470 GRT/45,451 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: US 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru; FAP), National Police (includes General Police, Security Police, and Technical Police) | National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1 billion (FY01) | $9.712 million (FY02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (FY01) | 0.2% (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 7,510,882 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 5,045,619 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 281,717 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 28 July (1821) | Independence Day, 12 March (1968) |
Nationality | noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian |
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian |
Natural hazards | earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity | cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards |
Natural resources | copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas | arable land, fish |
Net migration rate | -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP [Alan GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Posible or PP [Luis SOLARI]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia] | 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 [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)] | various labor unions |
Population | 28,409,897 (July 2003 est.) | 1,210,447 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 50% (2000 est.) | 10% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.61% (2003 est.) | 0.84% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries |
Port Louis |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999) | AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002) |
Railways | total: 1,829 km
standard gauge: 1,515 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 314 km 0.914-m gauge (2002) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90% | Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable |
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.8 million (2000) | 280,900 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 504,995 (1998) | 180,000 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997) | 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva) | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.4%; widespread underemployment (2002 est.) | 8.8% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | 8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca |
none |