anent crops; 4% meadows and
pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated

Environment: subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely
surrounded by reefs

Note: located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

- People
Population: 1,070,005 (July 1990), growth rate 1.8% (1990)

Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 20 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 73 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Mauritian(s); adjective--Mauritian

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

Religion: 51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few
Anglicans), 17% Muslim, 2% other

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

Literacy: 82.8%

Labor force: 335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and
fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; 43% of population of working age (1985)

Organized labor: 35% of labor force in more than 270 unions

- Government
Long-form name: none

Type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Louis

Administrative divisions: 5 urban councils and 3 district councils*;
Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Moka-Flacq*, North*, Port Louis, Quatre
Bornes, South*, Vacoas-Phoenix; note--there may now be 4 urban councils
and 9 district councils* named Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Black River*,
Curepipe, Flacq*, Grand Port*, Moka*, Pamplemousses*, Plaine Wilhems*,
Port Louis*, Quartre Bornes, Riviere du Rempart*, Savanne*, and
Vacoas-Phoenix

Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)

Constitution: 12 March 1968

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January
1986);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June
1982); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Satcam BOOLELL (since 15 A