MAURITIUS

The financial services sector is vibrant and growing.

MMauritius gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. English is the official language of the legislative body but Creole is the dominant language with Bhojpuri and French accounting for about 10% between them

Just two years before independence, Britain expelled about 2 000 residents of the Chagos archipelago and leased islands to the US for 50 years. A military base was built on the largest island, Diego Garcia. In 2019 the UN International Court of Justice gave a non-binding legal opinion that the islands had not been legally separated and that Britain should end its control.

Former President Sir Anerood Jugnauth became Prime Minister for the third time in 2014 but resigned in 2017 to make way for his son Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, the leader of the Militant Socialist Movement party. The president is head of state in a Westminster-type system and the role is largely symbolic.

Capital: Port Louis. Other towns/cities: Vacoas-Phoenix, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Quatre Bornes. Population: 1.3-million (2022). GDP: $14-billion (2019). Real GDP per capita: $19 500 (2020). Currency: Mauritian rupee. Regional Economic Community: Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Indian Ocean Rim Association. Landmass: 2 040km 2 (all islands), Island of Mauritius 1 864km 2 Coastline: 177km. Resources: Sugar cane, tea, banana, pulses, potatoes, fish. Main economic sectors: Sugar milling, textiles, tourism, financial services. Other sectors: Mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, machinery. New sectors for investment: Creative sector (film), higher education, ICT, retail, medical tourism. Key projects: Positioning as a hub for the rest of Africa for logistics, re-export and trade. Smart city projects. Chief exports: Clothing, sugar cane, processed fish, molasses, cut flowers. Top export destinations: France, US, UK, South Africa, Madagascar, Italy, Spain. Top import sources: India, China, France, South Africa. Main imports: Chemicals, equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, petroleum products. Infrastructure: Export Processing Zone; Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport at Plaisance about 50km from Port Louis, an airstrip at Plaine Corail on Rodrigues; 2 150km of roads, 98% paved; Port Louis harbour has a container terminal and terminals for sugar, oil, wheat and cement.

ICT: Mobile subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2020). Internet percentage of population: 65% (2020).

ICT Development Index 2017 (ITU) ranking: 1 in Africa, 72 in world. Climate: Maritime subtropical modified by south-east trade winds. Cyclones can occur. Warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer. A fertile central plateau is surrounded by mountains and the island is ringed by coral reefs. Religion: Hindu, Christian about 30% (majority Roman Catholic), Muslim, other.