Mauritius
Mauritius⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars but kept most of the French administrative structure, which remains to this day in the form of the country’s legal codes and widespread use of the French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 -- later than most other British colonies -- led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base and later an air station, and it played a role during World War II in anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as in the collection of signals intelligence.
Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius’ often-fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families, each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM (1968-76) was Mauritius’ first prime minister, and he was succeeded by Anerood JUGNAUTH (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin RAMGOOLAM (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond BERENGER (2003-05), the only non-Hindu prime minister of post-independence Mauritius. In 2017, Pravind JUGNAUTH became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019.
Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly resolutions and an International Court of Justice advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 2,030 sq km
- Note
- note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
- Water
- 10 sq km
- Total
- 2,040 sq km
- Climate
- tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
- Terrain
- small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Land Use
- Other
- 37.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 19.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 43% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar
- Coastline
- 177 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Mont Piton 828 m
- Irrigated land
- 143 sq km (2022)
- Map references
- Africa
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Note
- note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
- Geography note
- the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; former home of the extinct dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons
- Natural resources
- arable land, fish
- Area comparative
- almost 11 times the size of Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 20 17 S, 57 33 E
- Population distribution
- population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 96.3% (2023 est.)
- Female
- 92.8% (2023 est.)
- Total population
- 94.3% (2023 est.)
- Languages
- Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, one of the two official languages of the National Assembly, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
- Religions
- Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.71 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 9.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 38.1 years
- Total
- 40 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 41 years
Population
- Male
- 639,707
- Total
- 1,311,375 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 671,668
Nationality
- Noun
- Mauritian(s)
- Adjective
- Mauritian
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 37.4% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 19.6% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 2.6% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 40.9% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 15.1% (male 100,973/female 96,711)
- 15 64 years
- 71% (male 462,833/female 467,509)
- 65 years and over
- 13.9% (2024 est.) (male 75,464/female 107,014)
- Ethnic groups
- Indo-Mauritian (compose approximately two thirds of the total population), Creole, Sino-Mauritian, Franco-Mauritian
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 41.7 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 21.1 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 4.9 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 20.5 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 6.4% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 9.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 3.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.36 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 14.2% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 10 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.06% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.66 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 72.6 years
- Female
- 78.4 years
- Total population
- 75.4 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: urban
- urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 1.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 3.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 149,000 PORT LOUIS (capital) (2018)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 10.8% (2016)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 51.6% (2022 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 14 years (2020 est.)
- Total
- 14 years (2020 est.)
- Female
- 15 years (2020 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
meaning: red stands for self-determination and independence; blue for the Indian Ocean; yellow for the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future; and green for agriculture or the island's lush vegetation
Capital
- Name
- Port Louis
- Etymology
- named after LOUIS XV, who was king of France in 1736 when the port became the administrative center of Mauritius
- Time difference
- UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 20 09 S, 57 29 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- yes
- Citizenship BY descent only
- yes
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months
Constitution
- History
- several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968
- Amendment process
- proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly
Country Name
- Note
- note: pronounced mahr-ish-us
- Etymology
- named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder (governor) of the Dutch Republic, in 1598
- Local long form
- Republic of Mauritius
- Local short form
- Mauritius
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Mauritius
- Conventional short form
- Mauritius
- Independence
- 12 March 1968 (from the UK)
- Legal system
- civil system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law
- Government type
- parliamentary republic
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges)
- Subordinate courts
- lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal
- Judge selection and term of office
- chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
- Chief of state
- President Dharam GOKHOOL (since 7 December 2024)
- Election results
2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote- Head of government
- Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 13 November 2024)
- Most recent election date
- 6 December 2024
- Election/appointment process
- president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly
- Expected date of next election
- 2029
- National holiday
- Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968, 1992)
- National color(s)
- red, blue, yellow, green
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 2 (both cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Aapravasi Ghat; Le Morne Cultural Landscape
- Political parties
- Alliance Morisien (Mauritian Alliance)
Jean-Claude Barbier Movement (Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier) or MJCB
Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM
Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD
Mauritius Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP
Militant Platform (Plateforme Militante) or PM
Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM
Muvman Liberater or ML
National Alliance
Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotique) or MAG
Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR
Legislative Branch
- Chamber name
- National Assembly
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 67 (62 directly elected; 4 appointed)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Legislature name
- National Assembly - Assemblée nationale
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 11/10/2024
- Expected date of next election
- October 2029
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 17.9%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC) (60); Other (2)
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Motherland"
- History
- adopted 1968
- Lyrics/music
- Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL
- National symbol(s)
- dodo bird, earring tree flower (Trochetia boutoniana)
- 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
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 966-0983
- Chancery
- 1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 244-1491
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gajjaluxmi MOOTOOSAMY (since 5 June 2025)
- Email address and website
mauritius.embassy@verizon.net
https://mauritius-washington.govmu.org/Pages/index.aspx
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [230] 208-9534
- Embassy
- 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Avenue, Port Louis
- Telephone
- [230] 202-4400
- Mailing address
- 2450 Port Louis Place, Washington, DC 20521-2450
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - also accredited to Seychelles
- Email address and website
PTLConsular@state.gov
https://mu.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
MAURITIUS · LEGISLATURE
National Assembly
67 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
67
Majority line
35
Largest party
Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC)
Parties
2
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Dharam Gokhool
- Head of State
Pravind Jugnauth
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $3.801 billion (2024 est.)
- Expenditures
- $5.042 billion (2024 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $10.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2021
- $4.213 billion (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $6.138 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $6.381 billion (2023 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $11.7B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2021
- $6.057 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $8.052 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $8.027 billion (2023 est.)
- Industries
- food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
- Labor force
- 594,900 (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 57.1%
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2019
- 58% of GDP (2019 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 39.347 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 41.692 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 44.183 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 45.267 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 46.415 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $3.632 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; diversified portfolio; investing in maritime security; strong tourism sector decimated by COVID-19; expanding in information and financial services; environmentally fragile
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 5.6%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 6.4% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 5.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 5.5% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 11%, France 11%, Zimbabwe 10%, South Africa 7%, Zambia 7% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 15%, UAE 11%, India 10%, South Africa 9%, France 6% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $31,840
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $24,800 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $26,100 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $27,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.9%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 8.7% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 5% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 4.7% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- sugarcane, chicken, pumpkins/squash, tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, cabbages, bananas, onions, cucumbers/gherkins (2023)
- Exports commodities
- fish, garments, raw sugar, fertilizers, diamonds (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, fish, coal, packaged medicine (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$1.1B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2021
- -$1.497 billion (2021 est.)
- Current account balance 2022
- -$1.437 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$647.743 million (2023 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $14.953 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 68.6% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 14.7% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0.2% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 21% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 46.2% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -57.8% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 10.3% (2017 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.6%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 10.8% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 7.1% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 3.6% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 4.7% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $34.406 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $31.296 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $32.864 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $34.406 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 15.3% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 16.6% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 18.4% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $7.793 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $7.248 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $8.506 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 17.8% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 64.4% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 4.3% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.9% (2017 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 29.9% (2017 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2017
- 36.8 (2017 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 610,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 651,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 3.084 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 955,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 179.996 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 100%
- Electrification urban areas
- 99%
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 60.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 82.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 80% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the national public TV and radio broadcaster, with programming in French, English, Hindi, Creole, and Chinese; MBC provides 17 television channels in Mauritius; 9 FM radio stations and 2 AM radio stations (2022)
- Internet country code
- .mu
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 464,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 36 (2023 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 2.2 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 173 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 343,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 27 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 1
- Medium
- 0
- Key ports
- Port Louis, Port Mathurin
- Very small
- 1
- Total ports
- 2 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 1
- Airports
- 5 (2025)
- Heliports
- 1 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 32 (2023)
- BY type
- general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 27
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- 3B
Environment
- Climate
- tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Land Use
- Other
- 37.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 19.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 43% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 40.9% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 438,000 tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 15.9% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- water pollution, degradation of coral reefs; soil erosion; wildlife preservation; solid-waste disposal
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 320 million cubic meters (2022)
- Industrial
- 10 million cubic meters (2022)
- Agricultural
- 303 million cubic meters (2022)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 5.551 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 1.495 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 4.056 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 2.751 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- key security priorities for the Maritius Police Force (MPF) include combating narcotics trafficking, ensuring public order, fighting cybercrime, improving maritime security, and responding to natural disasters; the MPF's primary security partner is India, which provides training and other support to the National Coast Guard, while Indian naval vessels often patrol the country's waters; the MPF has also received assistance and training from France, the UK, and the US
the Special Mobile Force was created in 1960 following the withdrawal of the British garrison (2025) - Military and security forces
- no regular military forces; the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) under the Ministry of Defense is responsible for the country's security; it includes a paramilitary unit known as the Special Mobile Force, which includes some motorized infantry and light armored units; the MPF also has a Police Helicopter Squadron, a Special Support Unit (riot police), and the National Coast Guard (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 39 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 82 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index58.0 / 100as of 2024-Q468 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.37as of 2024-Q484 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Mauritius — vintage 2026-Q1: Mauritius factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/mauritius
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata