:Mauritius Economy
Overview:
The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism.
Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for
40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on
industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification,
and tourism. Economic performance in FY91 was impressive, with 6% real
growth and low unemployment.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, per capita $2,300; real growth rate
6.1% (FY91 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.2% (FY91 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.4% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $557 million; expenditures $607 million, including capital
expenditures of $111 million (FY90)
Exports:
$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%
partners:
EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%
Imports:
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum
products 8%, chemicals 7%
partners:
EC, US, South Africa, Japan
External debt:
$869 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 12.9% (FY87); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
235,000 kW capacity; 425 million kWh produced, 395 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel,
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery,
tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 10% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane; other
products - tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish; net
food importer, especially rice and fish
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million; Western (non-US)
countries (1970-89), $709 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $54
million
Currency:
Mauritian rupee (plural - rupees); 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 15.198 (January 1992), 15.652 (1991),
14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
:Mauritius Communications
Highways:
1,800 km total; 1,640 km paved, 160 km earth
Ports:
Port Louis
Merchant marine:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 94,710 GRT/150,345 DWT; includes 1
passenger-cargo, 3 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 1 liquefied gas, 3 bulk
Civil air:
7 major transport aircraft
Airports:
5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
small system with good service utilizing primarily radio relay; new
microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries;
over 48,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian
Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Mauritius Defense Forces
Branches:
paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Unit, National Police
Force, National Coast Guard
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 307,237; 157,246 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $5 million, 0.2% of GDP (FY89)
:Mayotte Geography
Total area:
375 km2
Land area:
375 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claimed by Comoros
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon
(November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating with ancient volcanic peaks, deep ravines
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%
Environment:
subject to cyclones during rainy season
Note:
part of Comoro Archipelago; located in the Mozambique Channel about halfway
between Africa and Madagascar
:Mayotte People
Population:
86,628 (July 1992), growth rate 3.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
50 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
12 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
84 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
55 years male, 59 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mahorais (singular and plural); adjective - Mahoran
Religions:
Muslim 99%; remainder Christian, mostly Roman Catholic
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
NA
Organized labor:
NA