Topography: The island of Mauritius is danger of becoming extinct until recently; the almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs, Mauritius fruit bat is more common. Javanese with lagoons and coral-sand beaches. deer, introduced by the Dutch for food, are Mountains, with rocky peaks, rise abruptly found mainly in the uplands and the ravines, from the broad fertile plains; within lies the and protected by hunting restrictions. There central plateau. The rivers flow fast through are 12 species of lizards, four species of non- deep ravines, with frequent waterfalls. They poisonous snakes and 2,000 species of are not navigable, but fill eight reservoirs. The insects and butterflies. Three of the butterflies longest is the 34 km Grand River South-East. – the citrus, ficus and sailor – are unique to There are two natural lakes, Grand Bassin the islands. Marine fauna is very rich. and Bassin Blanc, both craters of extinct Main towns: Port Louis (capital, pop. volcanoes. 151,033 in 2013), Vacoas-Phoenix (106,493), Climate: The climate is maritime subtropical, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill (104,973), Curepipe with south-east trade winds blowing for (79,273), Quatre Bornes (77,534), Triolet much of the year. Summer, the rainy season, (23,780), Goodlands (20,990), Bel Air is November–April, winter is June–September. (17,935), St Pierre (16,193), Central Flacq Rainfall ranges from 80 mm in October to (16,085), Mahébourg (15,431), Le Hochet 310 mm in February. Heavy rains fall mainly (15,289) and Grand Baie (12,079). from late December to the beginning of Transport: There are 2,150 km of roads, 98 April. Cyclones, occurring in the summer, per cent paved, including at least 30 km of occasionally cause severe damage. motorways and 940 km of main roads. There Environment: The most significant issues are is no railway. KEY FACTS water pollution, and degradation of coral Port Louis is the main harbour and only reefs. Joined Commonwealth: 1968 commercial port. Facilities include a container Vegetation: The mountain foothills are terminal and terminals for the bulk handling Population: 1,244,000 (2013) densely vegetated, many planted with sugar of sugar, oil, wheat and cement. GDP p.c. growth: 3.5% p.a. 1990–2013 cane and tea. Some 4,600 hectares of forest Sir International UN HDI 2014: World ranking 63 land have been set aside as nature reserves. Airport at Plaisance is in the south-east of the Official language: English Remains of the original ebony forests, felled island, some 50 km from Port Louis. There is by the early settlers, have survived here. The an airstrip at Plaine Corail on Rodrigues Time: GMT plus 4 hrs uplands have been extensively replanted with receiving a daily service from Mauritius. Currency: Mauritian rupee (MRs) conifers and eucalyptus. Trees include coastal casuarina trees (called filaos), the Indian Society Geography almond tree (badamier), ficus (multipliant), flametree (flamboyant), African tulip, KEY FACTS 2013 Area: 2,040 sq km bauhinia and jacaranda. Mangroves grow Population per sq km: 610 Coastline: 177 km along the east and south-east coasts. Many Life expectancy: 74 years Capital: Port Louis indigenous trees and tree orchids have vanished, but over 10,000 plant species Net primary enrolment: 98% (2012) The Republic of Mauritius, an island country remain, of which more than 150 are Population: 1,244,000 (2013); 42 per cent in the Indian Ocean, lies east of Madagascar indigenous to Mauritius and 40 to Rodrigues. of people live in urban areas; growth 0.7 per and the south-east African coast. Its nearest Forest covers 17 per cent of the land area, cent p.a. 1990–2013; birth rate 11 per 1,000 neighbour is the French island of Réunion. having declined at 0.5 per cent p.a. people (28 in 1970); life expectancy 74 years The Constitution of Mauritius provides that 1990–2010. (62 in 1970). Mauritius includes the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega, Tromelin, Cargados Arable land comprises 38 per cent and About 68 per cent of the population is of Carajos and the Chagos Archipelago, permanent cropland two per cent of the total Indian descent, 27 per cent Creole, and the including Diego Garcia and any other island land area. remainder largely of Chinese or French comprised in the State of Mauritius. Mauritius Wildlife: Mauritius was the home of the descent. has always maintained that it has sovereignty dodo, an extinct species of large flightless Language: The official language is English; a over the Chagos Archipelago but has not turkey. Conservation systems are now well French-based Creole is the mother tongue of been able so far to exercise its sovereignty. enforced, but only eight of a known 25 many Mauritians and the most widely spoken Area: Island of Mauritius 1,864 sq km; species of indigenous birds remain, including language. Other languages include Bhojpuri, Rodrigues 104 sq km; total area, including the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon. spoken by five per cent of the population, other islands 2,040 sq km. The Rodrigues fruit bat or golden bat was in and French (four per cent; 2011 census).

The CoMMonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Mauritius

Religion: Hindus 49 per cent, Christians 33 Matinal and Le Mauricien (afternoon), and Real growth in GDP per cent (Roman Catholics 26 per cent), Mauritius Times is a weekly. % Muslims 17 per cent (2011 census). % 5 The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation

Health: Public spending on health was two provides public TV and radio and is funded by 4 per cent of GDP in 2012. Overall, the health advertising and licence fees. There are several profile is similar to that of developed private TV channels and radio stations. 3 countries. Health care in the public sector is Some 97 per cent of households have TV sets g free to all Mauritians. As well as some 13 (2012). There are 485 personal computers 2 hospitals, there are area and community per 1,000 people (2012). health centres. The entire population uses an 1 improved drinking water source and 91 per Communications: Country code 230; internet domain ‘.mu’. There are some public cent have access to adequate sanitation 0 facilities (2012). Infant mortality was 13 per telephones. Mobile phone coverage is good. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 1,000 live births in 2013 (67 in 1960). Internet cafes can be found in the main Malaria was substantially eradicated in the towns. There is a good postal service. Inflation

1950s. A national AIDS prevention and For every 1,000 people there are 292 % 8 control programme has been running since landlines, 1,232 mobile phone subscriptions 7 1987. In 2013, 1.1 per cent of people aged and 390 internet users (2013). 15–49 were HIV positive. 6 Public holidays: New Year (two days), 5 Education: Public spending on education Abolition of Slavery (1 February), National was four per cent of GDP in 2012. There are Day (12 March), Labour Day (1 May), All 4 12 years of compulsory education starting at Saints’ Day (1 November), Arrival of the 3 the age of five. Primary school comprises six Indentured Labourers (2 November) and 2 years and secondary seven, with cycles of Christmas Day. three and four years. Some 97 per cent of 1 Religious and other festivals whose dates vary pupils complete primary school (2010). The 0 from year to year include Chinese New Year, 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 school year starts in January. Education is free Thaipoosam Cavadee (January/February), at the primary and secondary levels, partly Maha Shivaratri (February/March), Ougadi subsidised at the pre-primary level and heavily GDP by sector (2013) (March/April), Ganesh Chathurthi subsidised at the tertiary level. (August/September), Eid al-Fitr (End of Agriculture A review of tertiary education in 2009/2010 Ramadan, three days) and Diwali 3.3% found a rapidly expanding sector with some (October/November). 42,260 students attending 61 institutions, 11 Industry 24.5% publicly funded. The sector centres on the Economy University of Mauritius, which comprises Services faculties of agriculture; engineering; law; KEY FACTS 2013 72.2% management; science (including the GNI: US$12.0bn Department of Medicine); and social studies GNI p.c.: US$9,300 government embarked on a programme of and humanities. Other institutions include the privatisation, financial market liberalisation University of Technology (operational from GDP growth: 3.5% p.a. 2009–13 and development of offshore activities, with September 2001); Mauritius Institute of Inflation: 3.9% p.a. 2009–13 Education (training teachers); Mahatma the aim of turning the island into an Mauritius has a very good record of growth. Gandhi Institute (courses in Asian culture); international financial and business services Despite the country’s isolation from major Open University of Mauritius (higher and centre. By 2005 financial and business world markets, it is among the most continuing professional education; services contributed 20 per cent of GDP. successful of small developing countries in established in July 2012, incorporating diversifying its economy out of dependence Sugar continued to contribute significantly to Mauritius College of the Air); and Sir on one agricultural commodity (sugar) into export earnings and the economy remained Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College manufacturing, tourism, horticulture and, vulnerable to fluctuations in world (established at Belle Rive in 1999). The latterly, financial services and ICT. commodity prices and bad weather. It is female–male ratio for gross enrolment in Manufacturing, especially of clothing and difficult to reduce imports in lean years since tertiary education is 1.30:1 (2011). Literacy textiles (centred on the early established among people aged 15–24 is 97 per cent both the manufacturing and tourism export processing zones, or EPZs), and (2010). industries are import-intensive. tourism have developed rapidly, providing Mauritius hosted the 18th Conference of jobs and income. Manufacturing output grew With relatively high levels of foreign Commonwealth Education Ministers in Port by more than ten per cent p.a. during investment, the economy grew well during Louis in August 2012. Commonwealth 1980–90 and more than five per cent p.a. the 2000s, and the impact of the world Education Ministers meet every three years to 1990–2000, but it grew very little at all in the economic downturn and fall in world discuss issues of mutual concern and interest. following decade. demand in 2008–09 was relatively weak. Media: Daily newspapers and periodicals By the late 1990s the textile industry was Thus after a period of strong growth in the reflect the country’s wide cultural mix and are facing stiffer competition from new low-cost mid-2000s, the economy continued to grow published in French, English, Hindi, Urdu and producers as well as the erosion of by at least three per cent p.a. during Chinese. The leading dailies are L’Express , Le preferential tariff agreements. The 2009–15.

The CoMMonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Mauritius

History Alarmed by the growing strength of the Bérenger Deputy Prime Minister and Minister socialist Mouvement Militant Mauricien of Foreign Affairs. The government Mauritius was uninhabited until 1598 CE, (MMM), led by Paul Bérenger, and union introduced privatisation policies, despite and had much unique wildlife and plant life. strikes, the government of Ramgoolam strong opposition from the MMM and There were Dutch settlers from 1638 until refused to allow the general election due in unions. Bérenger and other MMM members 1710. The French took formal possession in 1972. A state of emergency was declared resigned from the coalition to rejoin the 1715 and sent settlers from 1721; the French and MMM and union leaders imprisoned. opposition in June 1997. East India Company governed the island, called Île de France, from about 1767. Slaves In the 1976 general election, Labour retained were brought in from Madagascar, power by forming an alliance with the Parti Constitution Mozambique and other parts of Africa. Mauricien Social Démocrate (PMSD). But in Status: Republic 1982 the MMM, in alliance with Labour Legislature: Parliament of Mauritius The island was captured by the British in breakaway group the Parti Socialiste 1810, during the Anglo-French war, and Mauricien (PSM), won all the elected seats in Independence: 12 March 1968 renamed Mauritius. Together with its the National Assembly. In government, the The independence constitution established a dependencies, including Seychelles and MMM was less radical than it had been in multiparty democracy, and the country Rodrigues, the island was formally ceded to the early 1970s, but the MMM/PSM alliance became a republic in 1992. The presidency is Britain under the Treaty of Paris (1814). At broke up within a year. , non-executive; political power lies with the the time slavery was abolished, in 1834, there Prime Minister and MMM President, then Prime Minister and the cabinet. The President were 68,616 registered slaves in the country. broke away from the MMM to form a new is appointed for a five-year term by the After abolition, indentured labourers were party, the Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien National Assembly on a motion made by the recruited, mainly from India, to work in the (MSM), which formed an alliance with Labour Prime Minister and supported by the vote of expanding sugar industry. More than 200,000 and the PMSD. The new alliance won the the majority of all the members of the Indian labourers arrived between 1840 and elections of 1983, leaving the old MMM in Assembly. The single-chamber National 1870. They were later joined by a small opposition. The Organisation du Peuple Assembly comprises up to 70 members, 62 of number of Chinese traders. The population Rodriguais again won the two Rodrigues whom are elected (60 from 20 three-member swelled from 100,000 in 1835 to 371,000 by seats and joined the new government. constituencies on the island of Mauritius plus the end of the century. In 1984, Jugnauth dismissed a number of two from the single constituency of From 1810 until they were separated in ministers, most of them members of the Rodrigues). Up to eight additional seats are 1903, Mauritius and Seychelles were Labour Party, and the coalition government allocated to ‘best losers’, to ensure administered as a single British colony by a split. Those Labour MPs who continued to representation of a variety of ethnic groups. Governor and British officials. support the government formed the The constitution provides for the The independence movement had its roots in Rassemblement des Travaillistes Mauriciens appointment of President, Vice-President, the labour movement which, in the late (RTM). In an early general election called in Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Prime Minister, 1940s, campaigned for the transfer of political June 1987, the MSM/PMSD/RTM coalition Deputy Prime Minister, a cabinet of ministers, power to Mauritians. In 1947 the franchise unexpectedly won a comfortable majority. and up to ten parliamentary secretaries. was extended to every literate adult. A The PMSD left the alliance in 1988, and the Provision is further made for an Attorney- measure of democratic self-government MMM came into the alliance in its place. General, a secretary to the cabinet, a followed, with a general election in 1948 and The alliance of MSM and MMM were commissioner of police, a director of public the first legislative council. Universal adult returned to power in 1991; it held firm until prosecutions and a Leader of the Opposition. suffrage was introduced in 1959. 1993 when MMM leader Paul Bérenger was General elections take place every five years, Negotiations for political autonomy in the dismissed from the cabinet and took part of based on universal adult suffrage for citizens 1960s were led by Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. the MMM with him to form an alliance with over the age of 18. The constitution Elections were held in 1967, which were won the Labour Party. Meanwhile, the constitution establishes the separation of powers between by a pro-independence alliance of was amended to make Mauritius a republic the legislature, the executive and the Ramgoolam’s Labour Party and two smaller on 12 March 1992. judiciary. It guarantees the protection of the groups, the Independent Forward Bloc and The Labour Party–MMM alliance won a fundamental rights and freedoms of the the Muslim Action Committee. A new sweeping victory at elections held in individual: freedom of conscience, freedom of constitution granting internal self- December 1995, leaving the country with association, movement and opinion, freedom government was then introduced. Mauritius only a token parliamentary opposition. of expression, freedom of creed and religious became an independent state and joined the Labour Party leader Navinchandra belief, and the right to private property. Commonwealth on 12 March 1968. Ramgoolam became Prime Minister and Politics Mauritius on the international stage Last elections: 10 December 2014

Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, a Frenchman whose parents originated from Mauritius, was Next elections: 2019 awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2008. Head of state: President Dr Bibi Ameenah Actress Françoise Pascal was born in 1949 in Vacoas, Mauritius. She went on to act in Firdaus Gurib-Fakim television and films in Europe, including Britain’s Coronation Street , before moving to Head of government: Prime Minister Sir Hollywood where she starred in several television shows. Anerood Jugnauth The 18th triennial Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers was held in Port Ruling party: Alliance Lepep Louis from 28–31 August 2012 and was attended by delegations from 39 countries. Women MPs: 12%

The CoMMonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Mauritius

The elections in September 2000 were won formed a coalition government with Sir Traveller information by an alliance of the two main opposition Anerood Jugnauth as Prime Minister. parties, the Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien Immigration and customs: Passports must On 29 May 2015 President Rajkeswur Purryag (MSM) and the Mouvement Militant be valid for the duration of the stay. Visas are resigned and Vice-President Monique Ohsan- Mauricien (MMM), taking 54 seats while the required by all Commonwealth nationals and Bellepeau became acting President. On 4 alliance led by the Labour Party won only six, some are issued on arrival. Prohibited imports June 2015 Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was and MSM–MMM alliance leader Sir Anerood include some fresh food, soil, plants and unanimously elected President by the plant material. Jugnauth formed a new government, with National Assembly. MMM leader Paul Bérenger as his deputy Travel within the country: Traffic drives on until September 2003 when, by agreement, the left. Visitors wishing to hire a car must be Bérenger became Prime Minister and International relations aged at least 23 and be in possession of a caretaker President Karl Offmann made way Mauritius is a member of the African, foreign driving licence. The wearing of seat for Jugnauth to become President. Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, belts is mandatory. African Union, Common Market for Eastern In the July 2005 general election, the Daily air services and a weekly ferry link and Southern Africa, Indian Ocean Rim opposition Social Alliance (with 38 seats) Mauritius and Rodrigues. Taxis are regulated Association, Non-Aligned Movement, defeated the governing alliance (22 seats) and metered. and Labour Party leader Dr Navinchandra Organisation internationale de la Travel health: Prevalent diseases where Ramgoolam became Prime Minister. Turnout Francophonie, Southern African Development appropriate precautionary measures are was over 80 per cent. Community, United Nations and World Trade Organization. recommended include dengue fever, hepatitis The general election in May 2010 was won A, hepatitis B and schistosomiasis (bilharzia). by Ramgoolam’s newly formed Alliance of the Mauritius hosts the headquarters of the Future, with 45 seats (including four best Indian Ocean Rim Association. There were 993,000 tourist arrivals in 2013. losers), while the opposition Alliance of the Heart – led by Paul Bérenger – won 20 Further information (including two best losers). Turnout was 78 per cent. Government of Mauritius: www.govmu.org Electoral Commissioner’s Office: electoral.govmu.org At the end of March 2012 Jugnauth resigned Parliament of Mauritius: mauritiusassembly.govmu.org the presidency to return to party politics. Statistics Mauritius: statsmauritius.govmu.org Vice-President Monique Ohsan-Bellepeau Bank of Mauritius: bom.intnet.mu became acting President. On 20 July 2012 Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority: www.tourism-mauritius.mu Rajkeswur Purryag was elected President by a Indian Ocean Rim Association: www.iora.net majority of the members of the National Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Assembly. Commonwealth of Nations: www.commonwealthofnations.org/ country/Mauritius The general election held on 10 December Media 2014 was won by the MSM-led Alliance Le Matinal : www.lematinal.com Lepep, which secured 51 seats, including four Le Mauricien : www.lemauricien.com best losers. The governing Labour L’Express : www.lexpress.mu Party–MMM alliance took 16 seats, including Mauritius Times : mauritiustimes.com three best losers, and the Organisation of the Mauritius Broadcasting Company: mbc.intnet.mu People of Rodrigues two. Alliance Lepep

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The CoMMonwealTh Yearbook 2015