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Compare Saint Helena (2008) - Mauritius (2008)

Compare Saint Helena (2008) z Mauritius (2008)

 Saint Helena (2008)Mauritius (2008)
 Saint HelenaMauritius
Administrative divisions 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* 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: 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.)
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.)
Agriculture - products coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Airports 1 (2007) 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area 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
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 more than twice the size of Washington, DC almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Background 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.
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, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Birth rate 11.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $13.09 million


expenditures: $32.16 million


note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
revenues: $1.34 billion


expenditures: $1.642 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Capital name: Jamestown


geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Port Louis


geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate 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)
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline Saint Helena: 60 km


Ascension Island: NA


Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
177 km
Constitution 1 January 1989 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Saint Helena
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius


conventional short form: Mauritius


local long form: Republic of Mauritius


local short form: Mauritius
Death rate 6.63 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $2.583 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Cesar CABRERA


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
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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 none 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
Economic aid - recipient $29.56 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07) $31.93 million (2005)
Economy - overview 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. 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. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. 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).
Electricity - consumption 7.44 million kWh (2005) 1.973 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 8 million kWh (2005) 2.122 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes 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
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: 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 African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Exchange rates Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)


note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003)
Executive branch 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
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
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
Exports - partners Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006) UK 32.5%, France 15.1%, UAE 11.4%, US 8.3%, Madagascar 4.8% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 July - 30 June
Flag description 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 four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 4.8%


industry: 25%


services: 70.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 5.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 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
20 17 S, 57 33 E
Geography - note 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 the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
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 64.07 bbl/day (2004) 21,380 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006) France 14.3%, India 13.6%, China 8.6%, South Africa 7.3% (2006)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 4.7% (2007 est.)
Industries construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Infant mortality rate 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.)
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.2% (1997 est.) 9.1% (2007 est.)
International organization participation UPU 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
Irrigated land NA 220 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Supreme Court
Labor force 2,486


note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
550,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 6%


industry: 48%


services: 46% (1987 est.)
agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 12.9%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 87.1% (2005)
arable land: 49.02%


permanent crops: 2.94%


other: 48.04% (2005)
Languages English 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)
Legal system English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch 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
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.09 years


male: 75.19 years


female: 81.15 years (2007 est.)
total population: 72.88 years


male: 68.92 years


female: 76.9 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 20 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1987 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.4%


male: 88.4%


female: 80.5% (2000 census)
Location 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 Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references Africa Political Map of the World
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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 Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun: Saint Helenian(s)


adjective: Saint Helenian


note: referred to locally as "Saints"
noun: Mauritian(s)


adjective: Mauritian
Natural hazards active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources fish, lobster arable land, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders none Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan DOLLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Nando BODHA]; Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders none various labor unions
Population 7,543


note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2007 est.)
1,250,882 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 10% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.53% (2007 est.) 0.798% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0


Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)
Religions Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Sex ratio 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.)
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.)
Suffrage NA years of age 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: small system with good service


domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2006 exceeding 60 per 100 persons


international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Telephones - main lines in use 2,200 (2002) 357,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 772,400 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005) 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Terrain 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
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Total fertility rate 1.55 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.94 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 14% (1998 est.) 9.2% (2007 est.)
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