Title: Background Note: Mauritius
PA
Source: Office of Public Communication, Bureau of Public
Affairs
Description: Historical, Political and Economic Overviews of the
Countries of the World
Date: Nov, 15 199211/15/92
Category: Country Data
Region: Subsaharan Africa
Country: Mauritius
Subject: Travel, History, International Organizations,
Trade/Economics, Military Affairs, Cultural Exchange,
State Department
[TEXT]
OFFICIAL NAME:
MAURITIUS
PROFILE
Geography
Area:
1,865 sq. km. (720 sq. mi.), about the size of Rhode
Island; east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
Dependencies:
Rodrigues Island and the Agalega Islands
and Cargados Carajos Shoals; Mauritius also claims sovereignty over
the Chagos Archipelago, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory,
where the US naval base of Diego Garcia is located.
Cities (1990):
..Capital--Port Louis (pop. 132,460). Other
cities--Beau Bassin and Rose Hill (91,518), Curepipe (65,414),
Vacoas-Phoenix (56,452), Quatre Bornes (65,207).
Terrain:
Volcanic island surrounded by coral reefs. A
central plateau is rimmed by mountains.
Climate:
Tropical; cyclone season mid-December-April.
People
Nationality:
Noun and adjective--Mauritian(s).
Population (1991 est):
1 million.
Population density:
1,313/sq. mi.
Avg. annual growth rate (1991):
1%.
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-
Mauritians 3%, Franco-Mauritians 2%.
Religions:
Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim. Languages:
Creole (common), French, English (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bhojpuri.
Education:
Years compulsory--6 (primary school).
Attendance (primary school)--virtually universal. Literacy--adult
population 80%; school population 90%.
Health (1991):
Infant mortality rate--20/1,000. Life
expectancy--male 66 yrs; female 74 yrs.
Work force (March 1991):
407,618. Manufacturing--32%.
Agriculture and fishing--17%. Government services--14%. Other--
37%.
Government
Type:
Republic.
Independence:
March 12, 1968 (became a republic in 1992).
Constitution:
March 12, 1968.
Branches:
Executive--president (chief of state), prime
minister (head of government), Council of Ministers. Legislative--
unicameral National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court.
Administrative subdivisions:
10.
Major political parties:
Militant Socialist Movement
(MSM), Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Mauritian Labor Party
(MLP), and Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD).
Suffrage:
Universal over 18.
Defense (1991):
1.5% of GDP.
Flag:
Four horizontal stripes--red, blue, yellow, green.
Economy
GDP (1991):
$2.4 billion.
Real growth rate (1991):
5%.
Per capita income (1991):
$2,276.
Avg. inflation rate (1991):
7%.
Natural resources:
None.
Manufacturing (including export processing zone):
24% of
GDP. Types--labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and
clothing, pearls, cut and polished diamonds, semi-precious stones,
optical goods, cut flowers, leather products, electronic goods,
watches, toys, and other consumer goods.
Agriculture:
11% of GDP. Products--sugar, sugar
derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
Tourism sector:
11% of GDP. Main countries of origin--
France (including the nearby French island Reunion), South Africa,
and West European countries.
Trade (1991):
Exports--$1.3 billion: sugar, textiles and
clothing, tea, molasses, jewelry, leather products, canned tuna, and
anthuriums. Major markets--EC and US. Imports--$1.6 billion:
foodstuffs, refined petroleum products, machinery and transport
equipment, construction materials, manufactured goods, and textile
raw materials. Major suppliers--EC, South Africa, Kuwait, Japan,
China, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Taiwan, New Zealand,
Southeast Asian countries, and US.
Fiscal year:
July 1-June 30.
Avg. exchange rate (1991):
15 rupees=US$1.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
While Arab and Malay sailors knew of Mauritius as early as the 10th
century AD and Portuguese sailors first visited in the 16th century,
the island was not colonized until 1638 by the Dutch. Mauritius was
populated over the next few centuries by waves of traders, planters
and their slaves, indentured laborers, merchants, and artisans.
The island was named in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau by the
Dutch, who abandoned their colony in 1710. The French claimed
Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Ile de France. It became a
prosperous colony under the French East India Company. The French
Government took control in 1767, and the island served as a naval
and privateer base during the Napoleonic wars. In 1810, Mauritius
was captured by the British, whose possession of the island was
confirmed 4 years later by the Treaty of Paris. French institutions,
including the Napoleonic code of law, were maintained; French still
is used more widely than English.
Mauritius' Creoles trace their origins to the plantation owners and
slaves who were brought to work the sugar fields. Indo-Mauritians
are descended from Indian immigrants who arrived in the 19th
century to work as indentured laborers after slavery was abolished
in 1835. Included in the Indo-Mauritian community are Muslims
(about 15% of the population) from what is now Pakistan. The
Franco-Mauritian elite controls nearly all of the large sugar estates
and is active in business and banking. As the Indian population
became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended,
political power shifted from the Franco-Mauritians and their Creole
allies to the Hindus.
Elections in 1947 for the newly created Legislative Assembly
marked Mauritius' first steps toward self-rule. An independence
campaign gained momentum after 1961, when the British agreed to
permit additional self-government and eventual independence. A
coalition composed of the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), the Muslim
Committee of Action (CAM), and the Independent Forward Bloc (IFB)-
-a traditionalist Hindu party--won a majority in the 1967
Legislative Assembly election, despite opposition from Franco-
Mauritian and Creole supporters of Gaetan Duval's Mauritian Social
Democratic Party (PMSD). The contest was interpreted locally as a
referendum on independence. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, MLP
leader and chief minister in the colonial government, became the
first prime minister at independence, on March 12, 1968. This event
was preceded by a period of communal strife, brought under control
with assistance from British troops.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Mauritian politics are turbulent and characterized by coalition and
alliance building. Alone or in coalitions, the MLP ruled from 1947
until June 1982. The Mauritian Militant Movement/Mauritian
Socialist Party (MMM/PSM) alliance won the 1982 election. In 1983,
defectors from the MMM joined with the PSM to form the Militant
Socialist Movement (MSM) and won a working majority. In July
1990, the MSM realigned with the MMM and in September 1991
national elections won 59 of the 62 directly elected seats in
parliament.
As promised in its electoral program, the MSM/MMM alliance amend-
ed the constitution, making Mauritius a republic within the
Commonwealth. Since March 12, 1992, the chief of state has been a
Mauritian-born president, replacing Queen Elizabeth II. Under the
amended constitution, political power still derives from the
parliament. The Council of Ministers (cabinet), responsible for the
direction and control of the government, consists of the prime
minister (head of government), the leader of the majority party in
the legislature, and 24 other ministers.
The unicameral National Assembly has up to 70 deputies. Sixty-two
are elected by universal suffrage, and as many as eight "best losers"
are chosen from the runners-up by the Electoral Supervisory
Commission by a formula designed to give at least minimal
representation to all ethnic communities and under-represented
parties. Elections are scheduled at least every 5 years.
Mauritian law is an amalgam of French and British legal traditions.
The Supreme Court--a chief justice and five other judges--is the
highest judicial authority. There is an additional right of appeal to
the Queen's Privy Council. Local government has nine administrative
divisions, with municipal and town councils in urban areas and
district and village councils in rural areas.
Principal Government Officials
President--Cassam Uteem
Vice President--Sir Rabindrah Ghurburrun
Prime Minister--Sir Anerood Jugnauth
Ambassador to the United States--Chitmansing Jesseramsing
Ambassador to the United Nations--Satteanand Peerthum
Mauritius maintains an embassy at 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-244-1491).
ECONOMY
The Mauritian economy is based on export-oriented manufacturing,
sugar, and tourism. Structurally, it has a strong private sector and
state-owned enterprises. The economy grew at an average rate of
6% over the last decade, reaching full employment in the late 1980s.
Growth started to decline in 1988, as the economy started to
experience some of the problems associated with success. Skilled
labor shortages now are evident in industry, and a small amount of
labor is imported. Degradation of the environment, drug trafficking
and abuse, and poor housing are the country's most pressing
socioeconomic problems. Unemployment--less than 2% in 1991--is
not a problem, due to the rapid expansion of the export processing
zone (EPZ) during the last 10 years as well as to the government's
success in curbing post-World War II population growth.
Manufacturing.
During the second half of the 1980s,
manufacturing emerged as the most important sector in the
Mauritian economy, surpassing the traditional sugar sector in terms
of gross foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and contribution to
GDP. Non-sugar manufacturing accounted for about 21% of total
value added in 1991, compared to 17% in 1985. In addition, the
share of non-sugar manufactured exports in the total export
earnings rose from under one-half in 1985 to two-thirds in 1991.
The performance of the manufacturing sector is largely influenced
by the evolution of the EPZ, which is heavily concentrated in textile
products. In 1991, about 63% of EPZ firms engaged in textile
production (mainly garments and knitwear) and accounted for almost
90% of EPZ employment and over 75% of total EPZ exports. Other EPZ
products include leather products, watches, optical goods, cut and
polished gems, toys, canned tuna, and cut flowers.
Sugar.
Despite the rapid growth of the EPZ sector in the
past several years, sugar still plays a key role in the Mauritian
economy. Sugarcane occupies about 45% of Mauritius' total land area
and 90% of its cultivated land. The industry accounts for about 10%
of GDP (including milling), 15% of employment in larger
establishments, and 30% of gross foreign exchange earnings. Sugar
is the most important commodity in net foreign exchange earnings,
as it has a lower import content (about 20%) than that of
manufactured exports (about 70%) in the EPZ sector. Under the Lome
Convention, Mauritian exports have guaranteed access to the
European Economic Community market at a remunerative price for up
to 507,000 metric tons, equivalent to about 75% of local production.
Tourism.
Tourism is the third most important source of
foreign exchange earnings after the EPZ and sugar. In recent years,
the industry has witnessed remarkable growth, both in terms of
gross earnings and tourist arrivals. From 1983 to 1990, the number
of tourists increased from 124,000 to 292,000, and gross earnings
increased from $34 million to $233 million.
Vulnerabilities and Diversification.
Despite the
impressive economic performance of Mauritius, there remain several
underlying structural weaknesses in the economy due to the
country's overdependence on exports of textile products and sugar
and to vulnerability to climatic conditions and unforeseen
fluctuations in export prices. As Mauritius enters the second phase
of its industrial development, the government plans to reduce these
vulnerabilities through aggressive industrial and export market
diversification. Accordingly, the government is now promoting
investment in electronics, light engineering, computer software,
pharmaceuticals, plastics, leather, jewelry, and printing and
publishing operations, while at the same time consolidating the
textile sector.
The government also has taken measures to develop Mauritius as a
regional financial center. In 1989, the government set up both the
offshore banking center and the Port Louis Stock Exchange. Seven
offshore banks operate in Mauritius. The stock exchange started
with only 5 companies but, over the last 2 years, has expanded its
activities and now has 19 public companies on the "official list."
The government also launched an Offshore Business Center in 1991
to promote the establishment of offshore companies in business
activities including fund management, consultancy, and services.
The success of the next phase of Mauritius' economic development
will depend on the availability of skilled labor at all levels and on
the country's ability to attract investment in more sophisticated and
capital-intensive technologies and higher value-added activities.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Strong ties between Mauritius and the West are due to Mauritius'
political heritage and dependence on Western markets. Mauritius has
sought to establish close links with the European Community and its
member states, particularly the United Kingdom and France, which
exercises sovereignty over neighboring Reunion.
Considered part of Africa geographically, Mauritius has a solid
relationship with other African states and, in 1976, chaired the
meeting of the Organization of African Unity. It was chosen as the
site for the Secretariat of the Indian Ocean Commission in February
1988. The government has espoused positions often promoted by
third world countries. India and Mauritius share close relations
based on cultural and ethnic ties.
Foreign embassies in Mauritius include Australia, the United
Kingdom, China, Egypt, France, India, Madagascar, Pakistan, the
Russian Federation, and the United States.
DEFENSE
Mauritius does not have a standing army. All military, police, and
security functions are carried out by the 6,000-member National
Police force. The 1,200-member Special Mobile Force (SMF) and the
500-member National Coast Guard are the only two para-military
units in Mauritius. Both units are composed of police officers on
lengthy rotations to those services.
The SMF is organized as a ground infantry unit and engages
extensively in civic works projects. The Coast Guard has three
coastal patrol craft and an airplane for search and rescue missions
and surveillance of territorial waters. The Special Supporting Unit
is a 300-member riot-control force.
Military advisers from the United Kingdom and India work with the
SMF, the Coast Guard, and the Police Helicopter Unit, and Mauritian
police officers are trained in the United Kingdom, India, and France.
In January 1991, the Mauritian Government approved Mauritian
participation in the US International Military Education and Training
Program (IMET), opening the way for Mauritian officers to receive
military training in the United States.
US-MAURITIAN RELATIONS
Official US representation in Mauritius dates from the end of the
18th century. An American consulate was established on the island
in 1794 but closed in 1911. It was reopened in 1967 and elevated to
embassy status upon the country's independence in 1968. Since
1970, the mission has been directed by a resident US ambassador.
Relations between the United States and Mauritius, recently
highlighted by the June 1991 official visit of Prime Minister
Jugnauth to Washington, are good. US trade with and investment in
Mauritius are relatively small but growing. Most categories of
Mauritian textiles, a major export, are under US import restraints;
Mauritius has a modest US sugar quota as well.
In 1991, Mauritius imported US goods valued at $15.3 million. The
same year, the United States imported $130.9 million in Mauritian
products, mostly knitwear and other textiles and sugar. In FY 1991,
the US Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $3
million under the Mauritius Industrial Diversification Project,
mainly in the form of technical assistance. In addition, USAID
provided $165,000 under the FY 1991 US Self-Help Fund Program and
$300,000 for population/family planning programs, including supply
and training in the use of contraceptives.
Principal US Officials:
Ambassador--vacant
Deputy Chief of Mission--David B. Dunn
The US embassy in Mauritius is located in the Rogers House, 4th
floor, J. Kennedy Street, Port Louis (tel. 230-208-2347; FAX 230-
208-9534).
TRAVEL NOTES;
Customs:
Visas are not required for US citizens, but
travelers should have onward or return tickets. Immunization
certificates are not required unless the traveler arrives in Mauritius
from an infected area.
Currency, exchange, and banking:
Travelers may bring in
any amount of foreign notes or travelers checks.
Health:
Mauritius has no major health hazards. Local
clinics and pharmacies are adequate. Precautions should be taken
before consuming raw fruits and vegetables or tap water.
Telecommunications:
Reliable international mail,
telephone, FAX, and telegraph services are available. Mauritius is
nine time zones ahead of eastern standard time.
Transportation:
Regular flights serve Europe, East and
Southern Africa, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. Rental
cars and taxis are readily available. Traffic moves on the left. Bus
service is regular and inexpensive throughout Mauritius. Most roads,
though paved, are narrow, twisting, and poorly lit at night.
HOW TO ORDER BACKGROUND NOTES IN PAPER
Published by the United States Department of State -- Bureau of
Public Affairs -- Office of Public Communication -- Washington, DC
November 1992 -- Editor: Marilyn J. Bremner
Department of State Publication 8023--Background Notes Series --
This material is in the public domain and may be reprinted without
permission; citation of this source is appreciated.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, US Government
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