The island of Mauritius has a total land area of around 784 square miles or
otherwise a total area of around 788 square miles. As per reports recorded in
the year 2006, the population in Mauritius amounts up to about 1,240,827. The
capital of Mauritius is Port Louis. According to statistics published in the in
the year 2003, around 148,000 people live in the city of Port Louis. It is
believed that around 1 percent of people in Mauritius talk English, 81 percent
talk creole, 12 percent talk bhojpuri and 3 percent talk French.
Moreover, around 68 percent of people in Mauritius are Indo-Mauritian, 27
percent are creole, 3 percent are Sino-Mauritian and around 2 percent are
Franco-Mauritian. Mauritius is a multiracial island. So, people of different
religions exist. Around 48 percent of Mauritians are Hindu followed by nearly 24
percent of Roman Catholic. On the other hand, around 8 percent of people are
Catholic while approximately 17 percent are of Islamic origin. Also, as per
surveys carried out in the year 2003, the literacy rate in Mauritius sums up to
86 percent.
Furthermore, about half the population of Mauritius, that is around 570,000
people form part of the labour force. A more detailed approach to this figure
would resemble as follows: about 36 percent of people in Mauritius are employed
in the construction and industry, around 24 percent in services, nearly 14
percent in agricultural and fishing, around 16 percent in trade, restaurants and
hotels, 7 percent in communication and 3 percent in finance. Additionally, the
industries that operate in Mauritius are the food processing, textile, clothing,
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery and
tourism.
In addition to, the gross income of exports in Mauritius may have amounted up to
1.949 billion f.o.b (free on board). This figure had been revealed from
surveys in the year 2005. The major export products in Mauritius are mainly
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers and molasses. While the government of
Mauritius gains some revenue in export, various products need also to be
imported. Statistics form the year 2005 reveal that imports may have amounted up
to 2.507 billion f.o.b (free on board). The main imported products are
manufactured goods, capital equipments, foodstuffs, petroleum products and
chemicals.
The major trading partners of Mauritius are UK, France, U.S., Madagascar, Italy,
South Africa, China, India, Bahrain, Japan (2004). Also, there are no
transportation railways in Mauritius. But the road and public infrastructure is
well developed with 1926 km of highway of which around 1868 km had been paved.
These highways are also equipped with around 44 km of expressways to ensure the
fluidity of traffic circulation. Only around 58 km of roads in Mauritius had
been left unpaved. It is important to remember that Mauritius is a developing
country and infrastructures are best in more important areas.
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean
Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but
were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims
French-administered Tromelin Island.
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Official Web Site for Mauritius