Island country, the central independent island state of the Mascarene group, lying about 500 miles (800 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It is situated at latitude 20°18′ S and longitude 57°36′ E and extends 38 miles (61 km) from north to south and 29 miles (47 km) from east to west. Its outlying territories are Rodrigues Island, lying 344 miles (553 km) eastward, the Cargados Carajos Shoals, 250 miles (402 km) northeastward, and the Agalega Islands, 580 miles (933 km) northward from the main island. The capital is Port Louis.
The land
Mauritius is volcanic in origin and almost surrounded by coral reefs. The northern part is a plain and rises to a central plateau, varying in elevation from about 900 to 2,400 feet (270 to 730 m) above sea level. The plateau is bordered by small mountains that may have formed the rim of an ancient volcano; the highest point (2,711 feet [826 m]) is the Petite Rivière–Noire Peak in the southwest. The two major rivers, the Grand River South East (about 25 miles [40 km] long) and Grand River North West are also the major sources of hydroelectric power. Lake Vacoas, one of the major reservoirs, is the chief source of water supply.
The climate is maritime subtropical with fairly uniform temperature throughout the year. Mean temperatures vary from 74° F (23° C) at sea level to 67° F (19° C) on the high plateau. Two seasons are recognized: hot (December to April) and cool (June to September). Annual rainfall varies from 35 inches (900 mm) on the west coast to 60 inches (1,525 mm) on the southeast coast and about 200 inches (5,080 mm) on the central plateau. The vegetation includes 600 indigenous species even though little original forest is now left. The fauna comprises samber (a long-tailed, dark brown deer), tenrec (a spiny insectivore), and mongoose, as well as a variety of birds and insects.
More than half of the country's area is arable. Sugarcane is the major crop.
The people
Three-fifths of the population are either Creole or of French descent, and two-fifths are Indian. Europeans and Chinese form smaller communities. Half of the population is Hindu, about one-third Christian, and the rest are Muslims. The number of languages in use among the various ethnic groups is large, but English is the official language, and Creole has become the lingua franca of the country.
The population density is one of the highest in the world. Overpopulation became a serious problem after eradication of malaria in the 1960s. The rate of natural increase has remained relatively high even though emigration reduced the annual rate of population growth in the 1980s. Almost one-third of the population is under 15 years old.
Economy
Mauritius has a mixed developing economy based on manufactured exports, agriculture, and tourism. Government efforts to diversify have been successful, and thus the island is no longer solely dependent on sugar production. The gross national product (GNP) was growing much more rapidly than the population in the early 1990s.
The agricultural sector accounts for approximately one-eighth of the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs one-sixth of the work force. Sugar production, generating one-third of export earnings, occupies about 80 percent of the total arable land, and the country is heavily dependent on food imports, mainly rice. Tea production has expanded; other important crops include potatoes, tomatoes, coconuts, and bananas. Technical assistance from Japan and Australia is regenerating the fishing industry.
The industrial sector accounts for approximately one-quarter of the GDP but employs two-fifths of the work force. There has been a steady increase in manufacturing. The Mauritius Export Processing Zone, which concentrates on labour-intensive processing of imported raw materials or semifinished goods for the export market, has successfully attracted foreign investment. Economically important manufactures include textiles, electronics, plastic and leather goods, and synthetic gemstones. Electricity is largely generated from imported petroleum.
Services account for more than half of the GDP and employ two-fifths of the population. Significant growth in the tourism industry during the 1970s has made tourism a major earner of foreign exchange. An offshore banking facility began operations in 1989.
Imports, largely of manufactured goods, machinery, and foodstuffs, outweigh exports of clothing and textiles, sugar, processed diamonds and synthetic stores, and fish. More than two-thirds of Mauritius' exports go to the protected European Community market; the most important trading partners are the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Germany.
Government and social conditions
Under the constitution adopted in 1968, Mauritius was a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as head of state. In 1991 a constitutional amendment was passed, providing for a republican form of government, with a president as head of state. The amendment went into effect in 1992. Legislative power is vested in a National Assembly elected every five years and consisting of 62 elected and 4 nonelected members. The president and vice president are elected by the National Assembly for terms of five years. Executive power is exercised by a Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority.
The social welfare system comprises a network of hospitals and dispensaries, and community centres have been set up in areas not served by social welfare centres. Old age pensions, family allowances, and other measures for social protection are also provided. Overcrowding is prevalent in urban areas, and government provides loans to local authorities for urban housing schemes.
More than 90 percent of all children of primary-school age receive primary education. The standard of secondary education is very high, and the University of Mauritius (founded in 1965) has faculties of agriculture, technology, education, and administration.
The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation transmits foreign radio and television broadcasts and also locally produced radio and television programs. School broadcasting constitutes an important part of the service. There are numerous daily newspapers and weekly publications published in English, French, Chinese, and other languages.
Cultural life
Interest in arts and letters and the sciences is promoted by voluntary associations. The island has produced talented poets and novelists. Representational and abstract painting flourishes. The national cultural institutions are the Mauritius Institute and the Mauritius Archives. The theatre is popular, and performances of comparatively high quality are given by local amateur groups. There are both public and institutional libraries.
History
Mauritius was probably known to Arab seafarers from the 10th century, or earlier. It was visited by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, but they did not settle the island. The Dutch took possession from 1598 to 1710, called it Mauritius after the stadhouder (governor) Maurice of Nassau, and attempted to settle the island in 1638–58 and again in 1664–1710; abandoning their attempts, they left it to pirates. In 1721 the French East India Company occupied Mauritius, which was renamed Île de France. The next 40 years were slow in settlement. Until 1767, when the French Ministry of marine took over the administration, it was governed by the French East India Company. Sugar planting was the main industry, and the colony prospered. At the beginning of the 19th century, when England and France were at war, Île de France was a continual threat to British and Indian merchant vessels. In 1810 the British captured the island, and, upon the restoration of peace in 1814, it was confirmed to the British by the Treaty of Paris. The customs, laws, and language remained French, but the name Mauritius was reinstated. Slavery was abolished in 1835, and the slaves were replaced by Indian labourers. Mauritius prospered in the 1850s, but competition from beet sugar caused a decline. The malaria epidemic of 1866–68 drove shipping away from Port Louis, which further declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During World War I, when sugar prices rose, the economy prospered, but the depression of the 1930s changed the situation drastically, culminating in labour unrest in 1937. World War II did not improve the economic situation, and after 1945 economic reforms were introduced. Political and administrative reforms were also initiated, which led to the 1968 independence of Mauritius within the Commonwealth of Nations. The effects of Cyclone Claudette in late 1979 and of falling world sugar prices in the early 1980s led the government to initiate a vigorous program of agricultural diversification and to develop the processing of imported goods for the export market.
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has sustained an open, free, democratic, and highly competitive political system. Elections have been held on a regular basis with the losing parties giving way to the winners. In 1992 Mauritius amended its constitution and became a republic within the Commonwealth.
As Mauritius approached the new millennium, the problems facing the country remained, for the most part, economic in nature. The poorer people in Mauritius—largely Creoles—did not share in the fruits of economic development in the late 20th century. This led to two large and unexpected outbursts of rioting and social unrest in 1999, the first real domestic disturbances since independence. Unemployment rose in the beginning of the 21st century, owing in part to the detrimental effects of international trade on textile and sugar manufacturing. The government responded by focusing the country's economic strategies on the development of more lucrative sectors—information technology and business and financial services.
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