held by
December 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%,
other 15%; seats by party--MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on
Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1,
Hizbullah 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
RAMGOOLAM]
Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD

Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C,
CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING
chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P.O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
DC 20521-2450

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue,
yellow, and green

Economy

Economy--overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has
developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a
middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial
services, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth
has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has
been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant
mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on
about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export
earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
industrialization (with a view to modernization and to exports),
agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in
1991-98 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$11.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 29%
services: 63% (1996)

Population below poverty line: 10.6% (1992