Mauritius definition

Mauritius





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3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mauritius \Mauritius\ prop. n.
     1. A country on the island of Mauritius.
        [WordNet 1.5]
  
     2. An island in the Indian Ocean.
  


     Syn: Ile de France.
          [WordNet 1.5]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Mauritius
       n 1: a parliamentary state on the island of Mauritius [syn: {Republic
            of Mauritius}]
       2: an island in the southwestern Indian Ocean

From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:

  Mauritius
  
     Introduction Mauritius
     ----------------------
                              Background: 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.
    
     Geography Mauritius
     -------------------
                                Location: Southern Africa, island in the
                                          Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
                  Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E
                          Map references: Political Map of the World
                                    Area: total: 2,040 sq km
                                          note: includes Agalega Islands,
                                          Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
                                          Brandon), and Rodrigues
                                          water: 10 sq km
                                          land: 2,030 sq km
                      Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of
                                          Washington, DC
                         Land boundaries: 0 km
                               Coastline: 177 km
                         Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the
                                          edge of the continental margin
                                          territorial sea: 12 NM
                                          exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
                                 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
                      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
                                          highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
                       Natural resources: arable land, fish
                                Land use: arable land: 49.26%
                                          permanent crops: 2.96%
                                          other: 47.78% (1998 est.)
                          Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1998 est.)
                         Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost
                                          completely surrounded by reefs that
                                          may pose maritime hazards
            Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of
                                          coral reefs
              Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                              agreements: 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
                        Geography - note: the main island, from which the
                                          country derives its name, is of
                                          volcanic origin and is almost
                                          entirely surrounded by coral reefs
    
     People Mauritius
     ----------------
                              Population: 1,200,206 (July 2002 est.)
                           Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 153,810;
                                          female 150,464)
                                          15-64 years: 68.3% (male 409,028;
                                          female 411,070)
                                          65 years and over: 6.3% (male
                                          30,170; female 45,664) (2002 est.)
                  Population growth rate: 0.86% (2002 est.)
                              Birth rate: 16.34 births/1,000 population (2002
                                          est.)
                              Death rate: 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                          est.)
                      Net migration rate: -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                          (2002 est.)
                               Sex ratio: 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 (2002 est.)
                   Infant mortality rate: 16.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                          est.)
                Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.53 years
                                          female: 75.58 years (2002 est.)
                                          male: 67.54 years
                    Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2002 est.)
        HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.08% (1999 est.)
       HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                    AIDS:
                       HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                             Nationality: noun: Mauritian(s)
                                          adjective: Mauritian
                           Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%,
                                          Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
                                          2%
                               Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman
                                          Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
                                          Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
                               Languages: English (official), Creole, French
                                          (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
                                          Bhojpuri
                                Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                          and write
                                          total population: 82.9%
                                          male: 87.1%
                                          female: 78.8% (1995 est.)
    
     Government Mauritius
     --------------------
                            Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
                                          Mauritius
                                          conventional short form: Mauritius
                         Government type: parliamentary democracy
                                 Capital: Port Louis
                Administrative divisions: 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
                            Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
                        National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
                            Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
                            Legal system: based on French civil law system
                                          with elements of English common law
                                          in certain areas
                                Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                        Executive branch: chief of state: President Karl
                                          OFFMANN (since 25 February 2002) and
                                          Vice President Raouf BUNDHUN (since
                                          25 February 2002)
                                          head of government: Prime Minister
                                          Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 17
                                          September 2000) and Deputy Prime
                                          Minister Paul BERENGER (since 17
                                          September 2000)
                                          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%
                      Legislative branch: 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
                         Judicial branch: Supreme Court
           Political parties and leaders: Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH];
                                          Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
                                          [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian
                                          Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
                                          BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM;
                                          Mauritian Militant Renaissance or
                                          MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING];
                                          Mauritian Social Democrat Party or
                                          PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL];
                                          Militant Socialist Movement or MSM
                                          [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] - governing
                                          party; Rodrigues Movement or OPR
                                          [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]
            Political pressure groups and various labor unions
                                 leaders:
               International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
                           participation: G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
                                          IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
                                          IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
                                          NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UN
                                          Security Council (temporary),
                                          UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
                                          WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
     Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Usha
                                          JEETAH
                                          FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
                                          telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
                                          chancery: Suite 441, 4301
                                          Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington,
                                          DC 20008
       Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
                                      US: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bisa
                                          WILLIAMS
                                          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] 208-2347, 208-2354,
                                          208-9763 through 9767
                                          FAX: [230] 208-9534
                        Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red
                                          (top), blue, yellow, and green
    
     Economy Mauritius
     -----------------
                      Economy - overview: 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, was well-poised to take
                                          advantage of the Africa Growth and
                                          Opportunity Act (AGOA).
                                     GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.9
                                          billion (2001 est.)
                  GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)
                        GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,800
                                          (2001 est.)
             GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6%
                                          industry: 33%
                                          services: 61% (1999 est.)
           Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.)
       Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                        percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
     Distribution of family income - Gini 0.37 (1987 est.)
                                   index:
        Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (2001 est.)
                             Labor force: 514,000 (1995)
             Labor force - by occupation: construction and industry 36%,
                                          services 24%, agriculture and
                                          fishing 14%, trade, restaurants,
                                          hotels 16%, transportation and
                                          communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)
                       Unemployment rate: 8.6% (2001 est.)
                                  Budget: revenues: $1.1 billion
                                          expenditures: $1.2 billion,
                                          including capital expenditures of
                                          $NA (1999 est.)
                              Industries: food processing (largely sugar
                                          milling), textiles, clothing;
                                          chemicals, metal products, transport
                                          equipment, nonelectrical machinery;
                                          tourism
       Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 est.)
                Electricity - production: 1.285 billion kWh (2000)
      Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.05%
                                          hydro: 8.95%
                                          other: 0% (2000)
                                          nuclear: 0%
               Electricity - consumption: 1.195 billion kWh (2000)
                   Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                   Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                  Agriculture - products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes,
                                          bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
                                 Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                   Exports - commodities: clothing and textiles, sugar, cut
                                          flowers, molasses
                      Exports - partners: UK 25.8%, France 20.8%, US 16.0%,
                                          South Africa 10.9%, Germany, Italy
                                          (2000 est.)
                                 Imports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                   Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, capital
                                          equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
                                          products, chemicals (1996)
                      Imports - partners: South Africa 20.0%, France 19.0%,
                                          India 9.0%, Hong Kong 5.2%, UK (2000
                                          est.)
                         Debt - external: $2.3 billion (2000 est.)
                Economic aid - recipient: $42 million (1997)
                                Currency: Mauritian rupee (MUR)
                           Currency code: MUR
                          Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees per US dollar -
                                          30.345 (January 2002), 29.129
                                          (2001), 26.250 (2000), 25.186
                                          (1999), 22.993 (1998), 21.057 (1997)
                             Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
    
     Communications Mauritius
     ------------------------
          Telephones - main lines in use: 245,000 (1998)
            Telephones - mobile cellular: 60,482 (1998)
                        Telephone system: general assessment: small system
                                          with good service
                                          domestic: primarily microwave radio
                                          relay
                                          international: satellite earth
                                          station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
                                          new microwave link to Reunion; HF
                                          radiotelephone links to several
                                          countries
                Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1998)
                                  Radios: 420,000 (1997)
           Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
                             Televisions: 258,000 (1997)
                   Internet country code: .mu
       Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
                          Internet users: 87,000 (2001)
    
     Transportation Mauritius
     ------------------------
                                 Railways: 0 km (2002)
                                 Highways: total: 1,860 km
                                           paved: 1,786 km (including 36 km of
                                           expressways)
                                           unpaved: 74 km (2001)
                                Waterways: none
                        Ports and harbors: Port Louis
                          Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
                                           totaling 66,004 GRT/90,017 DWT
                                           ships by type: cargo 2, combination
                                           bulk 2, container 2, 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.)
                                 Airports: 5 (2001)
            Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
                                           over 3,047 m: 1
                                           914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
          Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3
                                           914 to 1,523 m: 1
                                           under 914 m: 2 (2001)
    
     Military Mauritius
     ------------------
                       Military branches: National Police Force (includes the
                                          paramilitary Special Mobile Force or
                                          SMF and National Coast Guard)
        Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 340,050 (2002 est.)
     Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 171,239 (2002 est.)
                                 service:
           Military expenditures - dollar $9.1 million (FY01)
                                  figure:
       Military expenditures - percent of 0.2% (FY01)
                                     GDP:
    
     Transnational Issues Mauritius
     ------------------------------
                Disputes - international: 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
                           Illicit drugs: minor consumer and transshipment
                                          point for heroin from South Asia;
                                          small amounts of cannabis produced
                                          and consumed locally
    
                                         
  
  

















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