KEY FACTS
Joined Commonwealth: 1968
Population: 1,240,000 (2012)
GDP p.c. growth: 3.5% p.a. 1990–2012
UN HDI 2012: world ranking 80
Official language: English
Time: GMT plus 4hr
Currency: Mauritian rupee (MRs)
Geography
Area: 2,040 sq km
Coastline: 177 km
Capital: Port Louis
The Republic of Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean, lies east of Madagascar and the south-east African coast. Its nearest neighbour is the French island of Réunion. The Constitution of Mauritius provides that Mauritius includes the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia and any other island comprised in the State of Mauritius. Mauritius has always maintained that it has sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago but has not been able so far to exercise its sovereignty.
Main towns:
Port Louis (capital, pop. 156,700 in 2010), Beau Bassin–Rose Hill (111,000), Vacoas–Phoenix (106,900), Curepipe (84,300), Quatre Bornes (81,100), Triolet (23,800), Goodlands (21,300), Central Flacq (18,100), Bel Air (18,000), Mahébourg (17,300), St Pierre (16,500), Le Hochet (15,500) and Grand Baie (11,700).
Society
KEY FACTS 2012
Population per sq km: 608
Life expectancy: 73 years
Net primary enrolment: 98%
Population:
1,240,000 (2012); 42 per cent of people live in urban areas; growth 0.7 per cent p.a. 1990–2012; birth rate 12 per 1,000 people (28 in 1970); life expectancy 73 years (62 in 1970). About 68 per cent of the population is of Indian descent, 27 percent Creole, and the remainder largely of Chinese or French descent.
Language:
The official language is English; French-based Creole is the mother tongue of many Mauritians and the most widely spoken language. Other languages include Bhojpuri 12 per cent and French three per cent (2000 census).
Education:
Public spending on education was four per cent of GDP in 2012. There are 12 years of compulsory education starting at the age of five. Primary school comprises six years and secondary seven, with cycles of three and four years. Some 97 per cent of pupils complete primary school (2010). The school year starts in January. Education is free at the primary and secondary levels, partly subsidised at the pre-primary level and heavily subsidised at the tertiary level. A review of tertiary education in 2009/2010 found a rapidly expanding sector with some 42,260 students attending 61 institutions, 11 publicly funded. The sector centres on the University of Mauritius, which comprises faculties of agriculture; engineering; law; management; science (including the Department of Medicine); and social studies and humanities. Other institutions include the University of Technology (operational from September 2001); Mauritius Institute of Education (training teachers); Mahatma Gandhi Institute (courses in Asian culture); Open University of Mauritius (higher and continuing professional education; established in July 2012, incorporating Mauritius College of the Air); and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College (established at Belle Rive in 1999). The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education is 1.30:1 (2011). Literacy among people aged 15–24 is 97 per cent (2010). Mauritius hosted the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Port Louis in August 2012. Commonwealth Education Ministers meet every three years to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest
