(pop. 148 000)
Other Cities: Beau Bassin and Rose Hill (105,000), Vacoas-Phoenix (100,000), Curepipe (80,000), Quatre Bornes (80,000).
Government: Type: Republic.
Independence: 12 March 1968 (from the
UK). Mauritius became a republic in 1992.
Constitution: 12 March 1968.
Geography: Location: East South Africa, an island in the Indian Ocean, 900 km (550 mi) east of Madagascar.
Area: 2,040 km2 (770 sq. mi.)
Dependencies: Rodrigues Island, the Agalega Islands, and Cargados Carajos Shoals; Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, 2,100 km (1,300 mi) away, which is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. The largest island of the Chagos Archipelago is Diego Garcia, a militarized atoll where the U.S. Naval Support Facility is located.
Terrain: Mauritius is a volcanic island with a central plateau rimmed by mountains and surrounded by coral reefs.
Climate: Mauritius has a tropical climate; the cyclone season is from mid-December to April.
People: Nationality: Mauritian(s).
Population: 1.37 million (2020)
Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians (Mauritians who trace their ethnic ancestry from India; about two-thirds of the population) Creoles, Sino-Mauritians, Franco-Mauritians
Religions: Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 26%, Muslim 17%
Languages: Mauritian Creole (Morisien 85%), French (4%), English (1%), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri.
Literacy: 85-90%
Natural resources: Arable land, fish, beaches and sea.
Agriculture products: Sugar, sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers, fishing, small amounts of cannabis.
Industries: Labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers; tourism.
Exports - commodities: textile and apparel, sugar and molasses, fish, cut flowers, primates (for research)
Exports - partners: France 16.7%,
USA 12.5%,
UK 12%,
South Africa 9%,
Madagascar 6.7%,
Italy 6.6%,
Spain 5.2% (2017)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals.
Imports - partners: India 17.9%,
China 15.7%, France 11.1%, South Africa 9.7% (2017)
Currency: Mauritius Rupee (MUR)