Mauritius

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 343,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the national public TV and radio broadcaster, with programming in French, English, Hindi, Creole, and Chinese; MBC provides 17 television channels in Mauritius; 9 FM radio stations and 2 AM radio stations (2022)

Internet country code

.mu

Internet users

percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 464,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 2.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 173 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, chicken, pumpkins/squash, tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, cabbages, bananas, onions, cucumbers/gherkins (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $3.801 billion (2024 est.) expenditures: $5.042 billion (2024 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$647.743 million (2023 est.) -$1.437 billion (2022 est.) -$1.497 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$3.632 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; diversified portfolio; investing in maritime security; strong tourism sector decimated by COVID-19; expanding in information and financial services; environmentally fragile

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 46.415 (2024 est.) 45.267 (2023 est.) 44.183 (2022 est.) 41.692 (2021 est.) 39.347 (2020 est.)

Exports

$6.381 billion (2023 est.) $6.138 billion (2022 est.) $4.213 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fish, garments, raw sugar, fertilizers, diamonds (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 11%, France 11%, Zimbabwe 10%, South Africa 7%, Zambia 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.953 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 68.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 46.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -57.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.3% (2024 est.) industry: 17.8% (2024 est.) services: 64.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

36.8 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 29.9% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$8.027 billion (2023 est.) $8.052 billion (2022 est.) $6.057 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, fish, coal, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 15%, UAE 11%, India 10%, South Africa 9%, France 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

4.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2024 est.) 7.1% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

594,900 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

10.3% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

58% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$34.406 billion (2024 est.) $32.864 billion (2023 est.) $31.296 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

4.7% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 8.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$27,300 (2024 est.) $26,100 (2023 est.) $24,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.506 billion (2024 est.) $7.248 billion (2023 est.) $7.793 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 16.6% (2024 est.) male: 15.3% (2024 est.) female: 18.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

consumption: 651,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 610,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 955,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.084 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 179.996 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 82.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

60.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

5.551 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.495 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.056 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Environmental issues

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs; soil erosion; wildlife preservation; solid-waste disposal

International environmental agreements

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 19.2% (2023 est.) other: 37.8% (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.751 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 303 million cubic meters (2022)

Urbanization

urban population: 40.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 438,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.9% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative

almost 11 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Coastline

177 km

Elevation

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Geography - note

the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; former home of the extinct dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons

Irrigated land

143 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 19.2% (2023 est.) other: 37.8% (2023 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

Natural hazards

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Population distribution

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Administrative divisions

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Capital

name: Port Louis geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after LOUIS XV, who was king of France in 1736 when the port became the administrative center of Mauritius

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius local long form: Republic of Mauritius local short form: Mauritius etymology: named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder (governor) of the Dutch Republic, in 1598 note: pronounced mahr-ish-us

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - also accredited to Seychelles embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Avenue, Port Louis mailing address: 2450 Port Louis Place, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534 email address and website: PTLConsular@state.gov https://mu.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Gajjaluxmi MOOTOOSAMY (since 5 June 2025) chancery: 1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 email address and website: mauritius.embassy@verizon.net https://mauritius-washington.govmu.org/Pages/index.aspx

Executive branch

chief of state: President Dharam GOKHOOL (since 7 December 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 13 November 2024) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly most recent election date: 6 December 2024 election results: 2019 : Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote expected date of next election: 2029

Flag

description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green meaning: red stands for self-determination and independence; blue for the Indian Ocean; yellow for the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future; and green for agriculture or the island's lush vegetation note: Mauritius has the only national flag with four horizontal color bands

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

12 March 1968 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67 subordinate courts: lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal

Legal system

civil system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly - Assemblée nationale legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 67 (62 directly elected; 4 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/10/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC) (60); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 17.9% expected date of next election: October 2029

National anthem(s)

title: "Motherland" lyrics/music: Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL history: adopted 1968

National color(s)

red, blue, yellow, green

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Aapravasi Ghat; Le Morne Cultural Landscape

National holiday

Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968, 1992) note: became independent and a republic on the same date in 1968 and 1992, respectively

National symbol(s)

dodo bird, earring tree flower ( Trochetia boutoniana )

Political parties

Alliance Morisien (Mauritian Alliance) Jean-Claude Barbier Movement (Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier) or MJCB Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD Mauritius Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP Militant Platform (Plateforme Militante) or PM Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM Muvman Liberater or ML National Alliance Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotique) or MAG Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars but kept most of the French administrative structure, which remains to this day in the form of the country s legal codes and widespread use of the French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 -- later than most other British colonies -- led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base and later an air station, and it played a role during World War II in anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as in the collection of signals intelligence. Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius often-fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families, each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM (1968-76) was Mauritius first prime minister, and he was succeeded by Anerood JUGNAUTH (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin RAMGOOLAM (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond BERENGER (2003-05), the only non-Hindu prime minister of post-independence Mauritius. In 2017, Pravind JUGNAUTH became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019. Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly resolutions and an International Court of Justice advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK.

Military - note

key security priorities for the Maritius Police Force (MPF) include combating narcotics trafficking, ensuring public order, fighting cybercrime, improving maritime security, and responding to natural disasters; the MPF's primary security partner is India, which provides training and other support to the National Coast Guard, while Indian naval vessels often patrol the country's waters; the MPF has also received assistance and training from France, the UK, and the US the Special Mobile Force was created in 1960 following the withdrawal of the British garrison (2025)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) under the Ministry of Defense is responsible for the country's security; it includes a paramilitary unit known as the Special Mobile Force, which includes some motorized infantry and light armored units; the MPF also has a Police Helicopter Squadron, a Special Support Unit (riot police), and the National Coast Guard (2025)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.1% (male 100,973/female 96,711) 15-64 years: 71% (male 462,833/female 467,509) 65 years and over: 13.9% (2024 est.) (male 75,464/female 107,014)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 3.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

9.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.6% (2022 est.)

Death rate

9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 41.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 14.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Indo-Mauritian (compose approximately two thirds of the total population), Creole, Sino-Mauritian, Franco-Mauritian note: Mauritius has not had a question on ethnicity on its national census since 1972

Gross reproduction rate

0.66 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

6.4% of GDP (2021) 9.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, one of the two official languages of the National Assembly, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.4 years (2024 est.) male: 72.6 years female: 78.4 years

Literacy

total population: 94.3% (2023 est.) male: 96.3% (2023 est.) female: 92.8% (2023 est.)

Major urban areas - population

149,000 PORT LOUIS (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 40 years (2025 est.) male: 38.1 years female: 41 years

Nationality

noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.8% (2016)

Physician density

1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

total: 1,311,375 (2025 est.) male: 639,707 female: 671,668

Population distribution

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

0.06% (2025 est.)

Religions

Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years (2020 est.) male: 14 years (2020 est.) female: 15 years (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 19.6% (2025 est.) male: 37.4% (2025 est.) female: 2.6% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.36 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 40.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 82 (2024 est.) IDPs: 39 (2024 est.)

Airports

5 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

3B

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 32 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 27

Ports

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Port Louis, Port Mathurin