About Mauritius
Introduction
Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean approximately
800 km off the East Coast
of Madagascar. The island, which is of volcanic origin,
covers an area of 1,800 sq. km.
Population
The population of the Island is approximately 1,200,000
made up principally by people of European, African, Indian and Chinese origin.
This has resulted in a unique
blend of races, cultures and religions. Mauritius takes
pride in the fact that these
different cultures coexist in peace and succeed in
creating a cultural entity that is distinctly Mauritian.
Political structure
The British ruled Mauritius for 158 years until 12 March
1968 when it became an independent country within the Commonwealth. The
Republic of Mauritius is a Westminster style
democracy. The President is the Head of State and
Commander in Chief. Full executive
power rests with the Prime Minister who is head of
Government. The Members of
Parliament are elected every five years by popular vote
and a number of political parties
contest the elections every five years, reflecting the
country's firm commitment to a multiparty political system.
The Economy
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from
a low income, agricultural
based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with
growing industrial, financial,
and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual
growth has been of the order of 5%
to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in
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. A record-setting drought
severely damaged the sugar crop in 1999, however. The
government's development strategy centres 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. During 2000 the economy grew by 8.9% and the Gross National Income
per capital at market prices reached 101,948 rupees. The
unemployment rate for 2000 is
estimated at about 8.0% while inflation stood at 4.2%.
Language
English is the official language. However, the Mauritian
population is largely bilingual, being
equally fluent in English and French. Creole is also
spoken and understood by everyone.
Currency
Mauritian Rupee. Click to open a Currency Converter in a
new window.
Exchange control
None.
Type of law
Common Law for corporate matters.
