constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Independence date
12 March 1968 (from UK)
1 November 1981 (from UK)
Religions
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
English (official), local dialects
Exports
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
External Debt
$5,768,000,000 $
$441,200,000 US
Exchange Rate
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.100%
3.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Area
2,040 km sq
443 km sq
Coastline
177 km
153 km
Climate
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
