Mauritius
Country Guide

Explore Mauritius

Mauritius with its capital Port Louis is located in Africa (Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean). It covers some 2,041 square kilometers (almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC) with a population of 1,356,390. English and French are the languages spoken by people in Mauritius. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

Mauritius is a small, multicultural island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and southeast of the Seychelles. Grand Bay was the first area of the island to fully experience the tourist boom. A shopping and leisure paradise, Grand Bay is also where Mauritians go when they want a fun-filled night out (restaurants, bars and discos). A few metres away from Baie aux Tortues, which 17th century sailors named after the many tortoises in the area, can be found the ruins of the old Balaclava estate. If you want to see some plants originating from Mauritius, then this is the place for you. The SSR botanical garden is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere.

Popular Destinations in Mauritius

Administrative regions of Mauritius

• Agalega Islands
• Black River District
• Cargados Carajos
• Flacq District
• Grand Port District
• Moka District
• Pamplemousses District
• Plaines Wilhems District
• Port Louis District
• Riviere du Rempart District
• Rodrigues
• Savanne District

About the country

The topography is small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau. The average density of population is about 665 per km². The climate in Mauritius can be described as tropical, modified by southeast trade windswarm, dry winter (May to November), hot, wet, humid summer (November to May). Potential natural disasters are almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards cyclones (November to April)

To reach someone Mauritius dial +230 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".mu". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, G). The sign for the locally used currency Rupee is MUR.

Four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island.

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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 one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 181)	2,040	sq km
Land (World Rank: 179)	2,030	sq km
Water (World Rank: 150)	10	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 175)	3.40	%
Comparative	almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Note	includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Coastline
177
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 179)	828	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 87)	43.80	%
Arable (World Rank: 18)	38.40	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 93)	2.00	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 175)	3.40	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 136)	190	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- degradation of coral reefs - water pollution
Agreement party	- 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
Hazzards	- almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards - cyclones (November to April)
Location
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar
Climate
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 155)	1,356,390
Deathrate (World Rank: 128)	0.71	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 150)	1.30	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 149)	0.59	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 157)	1.75	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 78)	34.20
Female (World Rank: 76)	36.30
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 156)	139,721
0 14 female (World Rank: 157)	133,765
15 24 male (World Rank: 154)	101,453
15 24 female (World Rank: 152)	99,288
25 54 male (World Rank: 153)	296,795
25 54 female (World Rank: 150)	296,485
55 64 male (World Rank: 146)	74,650
55 64 female (World Rank: 141)	82,585
65 x male (World Rank: 146)	53,985
65 x female (World Rank: 143)	77,661
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 137)	0.98	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 95)	76	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 85)	80	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 109)	72	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 75)	1.93
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 68)	3.40
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 83)	93.10	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 137)	10.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 43)	99.90	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 133)	2,857,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 138)	2,680,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 115)	66.30	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 125)	5.80	%
Source renew (World Rank: 16)	29.40	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 126)	26,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 105)	24,790	bbl / day
Carbon footprint
5400000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 66)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 151)	0	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 146)	5	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 102)	-3	% of GDP
National symbol
Trochetia Boutoniana flower
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Mauritian
Noun
Mauritian(s)
Background
Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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 one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.
Flag description
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 137)	25,960,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 68)	3.90	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 83)	20,500	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 138)	4.10	%
Source industry (World Rank: 134)	21.90	%
Source service (World Rank: 45)	74.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 153)	623,300
In poverty (World Rank: 157)	8.00	%
Products
Industries	- chemicals - clothing - food processing - largely sugar milling - metal products - mining - nonelectrical machinery - textiles - tourism - transport equipment
Agriculture	- bananas - cattle - corn - fish - goats - potatoes - pulses - sugarcane - tea
Exports	- clothing - cut flowers - fish - molasses - primates (for research) - sugar - textiles
Imports	- capital equipment - chemicals - foodstuffs - manufactured goods - petroleum products

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 101)	385,500
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 63)	29.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 45)	135.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 139)	717,618
Population (World Rank: 114)	53.20	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 194)	2.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 160)	3.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 172)	2,428
Paved length (World Rank: 125)	2,379
Unpaved length (World Rank: 150)	49.00

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