Changes

==People==

==People==

*Population (2005): 1,248,592, including Rodrigues, Agalega, and St. Brandon.  

*Population (2005): 1,248,592, including Rodrigues, Agalega, and St. Brandon.  

*Avg. annual population growth (2005): 0.9%. Density--612/sq. km.  

*Avg. annual population growth (2005): 0.9%. Density—612/sq. km.  

*Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-Mauritians 3%, Franco-Mauritians 2%.

*Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-Mauritians 3%, Franco-Mauritians 2%.

*Religions: Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim.  

*Religions: Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim.  

*Languages: Creole (common), French, English (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri.  

*Languages: Creole (common), French, English (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri.  

*Education: Years compulsory--11 (primary school). Attendance (primary school)--virtually universal. Literacy--adult population 85%; school population 90%.  

*Education: Years compulsory—11 (primary school). Attendance (primary school)--virtually universal. Literacy—adult population 85%; school population 90%.  

*Health (2005): Infant mortality rate--14.8/1000. Life expectancy--male 68.6 yrs., female 75.5 yrs.  

*Health (2005): Infant mortality rate—14.8/1000. Life expectancy—male 68.6 yrs., female 75.5 yrs.  

*Work force (2005, 543,900): Manufacturing--19.8%; construction--9.7%; trade and tourism--22.3%; government services--16.6%; agriculture and fishing--9.6%; other--31.7%.

*Work force (2005, 543,900): Manufacturing—19.8%; construction—9.7%; trade and tourism—22.3%; government services—16.6%; agriculture and fishing—9.6%; other—31.7%.

==Government and Political Conditions==

==Government and Political Conditions==

The unicameral National Assembly has up to 70 deputies. Sixty-two are elected by universal suffrage, and as many as eight "best losers" are chosen from the runners-up by the Electoral Supervisory Commission using a formula designed to give at least minimal representation to all ethnic communities and under-represented parties. Elections are scheduled at least every 5 years.  

The unicameral National Assembly has up to 70 deputies. Sixty-two are elected by universal suffrage, and as many as eight "best losers" are chosen from the runners-up by the Electoral Supervisory Commission using a formula designed to give at least minimal representation to all ethnic communities and under-represented parties. Elections are scheduled at least every 5 years.  

Mauritian law is an amalgam of French and British legal traditions. The Supreme Court--a chief justice and five other judges--is the highest judicial authority. There is an additional right of appeal to the Queen's Privy Council. Local government has nine administrative divisions, with municipal and town councils in urban areas and district and village councils in rural areas. The island of Rodrigues forms the country's 10th administrative division.  

Mauritian law is an amalgam of French and British legal traditions. The Supreme Court—a chief justice and five other judges—is the highest judicial authority. There is an additional right of appeal to the Queen's Privy Council. Local government has nine administrative divisions, with municipal and town councils in urban areas and district and village councils in rural areas. The island of Rodrigues forms the country's 10th administrative division.  

===Principal Government Officials===  

===Principal Government Officials===  

*President--Rajkeswur Purryag

*President—Rajkeswur Purryag

*Vice President--Raouf Bundhun

*Vice President—Raouf Bundhun

*Prime Minister--Anerood Jugnauth

*Prime Minister—Anerood Jugnauth

*Ambassador to the United States--Keertee Coomar (Kailash) Ruhee

*Ambassador to the United States—Keertee Coomar (Kailash) Ruhee

*Ambassador to the United Nations--Somduth Soboron  

*Ambassador to the United Nations—Somduth Soboron  

===Foreign Relations===

===Foreign Relations===

*Avg. inflation rate (2006): 8.9%.

*Avg. inflation rate (2006): 8.9%.

*Natural resources: None.  

*Natural resources: None.  

*Agriculture (5.6% of GDP): Products--sugar, sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fishing.  

*Agriculture (5.6% of GDP): Products—sugar, sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fishing.  

Manufacturing, including export processing zone (20% of GDP): Types--labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers.

Manufacturing, including export processing zone (20% of GDP): Types—labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers.

*Tourism sector (8.5% of GDP): Main countries of origin--France, including nearby French island Reunion, South Africa, and west European countries.  

*Tourism sector (8.5% of GDP): Main countries of origin—France, including nearby French island Reunion, South Africa, and west European countries.  

*Financial services: 10.3% of GDP.  

*Financial services: 10.3% of GDP.  

*Trade (2006): Exports--$2.2 billion: textiles and clothing, sugar, canned tuna, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and flowers. Major markets--Europe and the U.S. Imports--$3.7 billion: meat, dairy products, fish, wheat, rice, wheat flour, vegetable oil, petroleum products, iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, machinery and transport equipment, and textile industry raw materials. Major suppliers--South Africa, France, China, India, Bahrain, Finland, U.K., Japan, Australia, and Germany.  

*Trade (2006): Exports--$2.2 billion: textiles and clothing, sugar, canned tuna, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and flowers. Major markets—Europe and the U.S. Imports--$3.7 billion: meat, dairy products, fish, wheat, rice, wheat flour, vegetable oil, petroleum products, iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, machinery and transport equipment, and textile industry raw materials. Major suppliers—South Africa, France, China, India, Bahrain, Finland, U.K., Japan, Australia, and Germany.  

*Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.  

*Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.  

Franco-Mauritians control nearly all of the large sugar estates and are active in business and banking. As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the Franco-Mauritians and their Creole allies to the Hindus.  

Franco-Mauritians control nearly all of the large sugar estates and are active in business and banking. As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the Franco-Mauritians and their Creole allies to the Hindus.  

Elections in 1947 for the newly created Legislative Assembly marked Mauritius' first steps toward self-rule. An independence campaign gained momentum after 1961, when the British agreed to permit additional self-government and eventual independence. A coalition composed of the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), the Muslim Committee of Action (CAM), and the Independent Forward Bloc (IFB)--a traditionalist Hindu party--won a majority in the 1967 Legislative Assembly election, despite opposition from Franco-Mauritian and Creole supporters of Gaetan Duval's Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD). The contest was interpreted locally as a referendum on independence. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, MLP leader and chief minister in the colonial government, became the first prime minister at independence, on March 12, 1968. This event was preceded by a period of communal strife, brought under control with assistance from British troops.  

Elections in 1947 for the newly created Legislative Assembly marked Mauritius' first steps toward self-rule. An independence campaign gained momentum after 1961, when the British agreed to permit additional self-government and eventual independence. A coalition composed of the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), the Muslim Committee of Action (CAM), and the Independent Forward Bloc (IFB)--a traditionalist Hindu party—won a majority in the 1967 Legislative Assembly election, despite opposition from Franco-Mauritian and Creole supporters of Gaetan Duval's Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD). The contest was interpreted locally as a referendum on independence. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, MLP leader and chief minister in the colonial government, became the first prime minister at independence, on March 12, 1968. This event was preceded by a period of communal strife, brought under control with assistance from British troops.  

==References==

==References==