GEOGRAPHY
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian
Ocean, east of Madagascar 20°17 S, 57°33 E;
Land Area: 1,865 sq km;
Capital City: Port-Louis;
Climate: Sub-tropical with temperature averaging
22°C to 27°C, Summer (October to May), Winter
(June to September);
Time Zone: GMT + 4 hours
DEMOGRAPHY
Population: 1,233,380;
Workforce Population: 531,300 (2003);
Life Expectancy:
Male: 68.4,
Female: 76.4 (2005);
Literacy Rate:
15 years & above: 86% (2003);
Main Languages: English, French, Hindi and other oriental languages;
Student Enrolment:
Primary: 126,226 (2004),
Secondary: 105,827 (2004),
Post-secondary: 25,685 (2003/04)
ECONOMIC INDICATORS (June 2004)
GDP at market prices: Rs 165,923 M;
GDP per capita (market prices): Rs 134,496;
GDP growth at basic prices: +4.0%;
Composition of GDP: Manufacturing: 30,536 M (Sugar: Rs 1,418M, EPZ
products: Rs13,151M, Other: Rs 15,967M);
Financial Services (Financial intermediation): Rs 14,088M;
Tourism: (Hotels & Restaurants): Rs 8,845M;
Agriculture: Rs8,719M; Sugarcane: Rs 4,370M;
Other: Rs 4,349M
Total Exports: Rs 55,223M;
Total Imports: Rs 76,577M;
Overall Balance of Payments: Rs +3,225M; Tourist Arrivals: 718,861;
Inflation Rate: 4.7%;
Currency (Apr 2005): Mauritian Rupee (Rs.);
Exchange rates: 1 US$ = Rs 29.314, 1 Euro = Rs 37.916, 1 Ł = Rs 55.979
GOVERNMENT AND LEGAL SYSTEM
Political Status: A Republic;
Government: Parliamentary democracy based on the
Westminister model. Elections are held by
universal suffrage every 5 years. Last elections
held on 3rd July 2005;
Head of State: President;
Head of Government: Prime Minister;
Legal System: Hybrid System drawing from French
Napoleonic Code, English Law and the 1968
Constitution. The last Court of Appeal is the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the UK.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (2004)
Satellite Services: Maritime Radio
Services, International Broadcast
Services,Voicecast and VSAT;
Global connectivity:
SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine fibre
optic cable and satellite links.
Local connectivity: Fully digitalized network;
Fixed line connectivity: 350,000;
Mobile telephone connectivity: 525,000;
Internet users: 250,000;
Computer Ownership among households with
telephone connectivity: 29.4 % (NCB
ICT Outlook 2002); Data Services: ADSL,
ISDN, Leased Lines, Frame Relay;
State-of-the-art-infrastructure.
Source: CSO; Mauritius Telecom; Telecom Plus;
A TRACK RECORD
Strategically located in the Indian Ocean, at the
crossroads of vital trade routes between Europe
and Asia, Africa and Australia, Mauritius
has experienced, over the last two decades,
uninterrupted economic development and growth
averaging 5.7%.
In 1968, the newly independent small island
economy was predominantly a monocommodity
sugar-producer economy, devoid of any natural
resources or mineral deposits, characterized by
high unemployment, chronic balance of payments
deficits, and minimum basic infrastructure, a pool
of mainly civil servants and agricultural workers,
and above all wholesome pessimism.
Today, Mauritius is referred to as Africa’s first tiger
economy enjoying the status of "upper middle
income" nation, with extensive state-of-the-art
physical, social and education infrastructure,
comfortable level of foreign exchange reserves
representing 37.3 weeks’ imports (as at March
2005), a highly educated and productive
workforce (literacy rate of 86%), and a robust and
diversified welfare state economy - a successful
model for other developing nations to emulate.
The making of modern Mauritius is the result of its
hardworking people and leaders, its strategic
partnership with the European Union, the USA,
India and Africa, sound economic management,
strong institutions, clear policy orientation, and the
constant endeavour to move to a higher level of
development.With its people as its greatest asset,
Mauritius has realized a remarkable
transformation in the last three decades from a
mono crop economy to a diversified economy
resting on Agriculture, Manufacturing,Tourism,
Financial and Business Services and on
the emerging Information and Communication
Technology sector.
SELECTED ECONOMIC INDICATORS |
YEAR |
1968 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2002 |
2004 |
GDP (Rs. M) |
827 |
8,697 |
39,629 |
119,494 |
142,319 |
174,900 |
Real GDP Growth (%) |
- |
-10.1 |
7.3 |
9.3 |
1.8 |
4.2 |
Consumer Price Inflation (%) |
7 |
42 |
13.5 |
4.2 |
6.4 |
4.7 |
Population |
794,746 |
969,872 |
1,058,800 |
1,186,873 |
1,210,196 |
1,233,380 |
Labour Force(thousands) |
- |
- |
432 |
514 |
523.9 |
531.3 (2003) |
Employment(thousands) |
124.5* |
196.5* |
420.8 |
483.6 |
490.1 |
495.1 (2003) |
Unemployment(thousands) |
- |
- |
12.2 (2.8%) |
45.0 (8.8%) |
50.8 (9.7%) |
54.4 (10.2%) (2003) |
Per Capita Income(Rs.) |
1,046 |
7,719 |
37,429 |
100,680 |
117,600 |
141,805 |
Exports of goods FOB(Rs.M) |
354 |
3,341 |
18,246 |
38,845 |
47,938 |
55,223 |
Imports of goods CIF(Rs. M) |
421 |
4,721 |
24,019 |
55,048 |
58,151 |
76,577 |
Tourist arrivals(thousands) |
15,553 |
115,080 |
67,400 |
620,030 |
681,648 |
718,861 |
Literacy Rate (%) |
- |
- |
81 |
85 |
86 |
- |
Financial Year |
68/69 |
80/81 |
90/91 |
2000/2001 |
2001/2002 |
2003/2004 |
Total External Debt(Rs. M) |
- |
- |
14,234 |
28,408 |
29,722 |
25,625 |
Debt Service Ratio (%) |
- |
- |
- |
9.8 |
8.5 |
8.1 |
|
* employment in large establishments
Source: Bank of Mauritius & CSO
|
STATE-OF-THE-ART INFRASTRUCTURE
• Mauritius endowed with a reliable, efficient and
supportive infrastructure, at par with the best
available in developed countries; Massive investment
made for the continuous upgrading of the overall
infrastructure.
• Extensive network of roads including a multiple lane
highway linking the airport, in the southeast, to the
north.
• Entire island is connected with electricity (stable
power) and water supply for agricultural,
industrial and household consumption. Industries can
thus be located anywhere on the island.
• Well-developed digital network infrastructure;
Excellent telecommunication facilities (ADSL, ISDN,
high bandwidth international leased lines and
high-speed internet access). The SAT3/WASC/SAFE
(South Africa Far East) submarine fibre-optic cable
links Mauritius to Europe via South Africa and to Asia
via India and Malaysia, thus placing the island on the
information superhighway. Mauritius Telecom, in
collaboration with its strategic partner France
Telecom, endeavours to provide high bandwidth
global connectivity to the whole of the island at
competitive rates.
• Airport/Harbour equipped to meet the full needs of
both passenger and cargo traffic; Regular air and sea
connections with the rest of the world with major
airlines and shipping companies servicing the island.
• Fully serviced industrial buildings, industrial parks
and IT habitats are available for plug and play
type activities; Lease of industrial land on a
long-term basis, from the State Land Development
Company (SLDC), at very concessionary rates; The
Ebčne Cybercity, a new generation knowledge and
science park with state-of-the-art telecommunication
facilities and modern office space, spreads over 64
hectares.
The SLDC, a public company created in October 2001;
Operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Development and has as shareholders the
Government of Mauritius and the Development Bank of
Mauritius Ltd. SLDC, the warehouse of State owned
strategic land that can be leased to potential investors.