)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.09 years
male: 67.21 years
female: 74.96 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%,
Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu,
Hakka, Bojpoori

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.9%
male: 87.1%
female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius

Data code: MP

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Louis

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

Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of
English common law in certain areas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice
President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27
December 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next
to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president and are responsible to the National
Assembly
election results: Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi
Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the
National Assembly--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats--62
elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from
the losing political parties to give representation to various
ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be