t stations: 1 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 50,000 (1992 est.)

Defense
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Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National
Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 500,754
males fit for military service: 244,546 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $33 million, 2.5%
of GDP (1995)

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@Mauritius
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Map
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Location: 20 17 S, 57 33 E -- Southern Africa, island in the
Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

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

Geography
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Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references: World

Area:
total area: 1,860 sq km
land area: 1,850 sq km
comparative area: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 177 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims the island of Diego Garcia in
UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims
French-administered Tromelin Island

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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use:
arable land: 54%
permanent crops: 4%
meadows and pastures: 4%
forest and woodland: 31%
other: 7%

Irrigated land: 170 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: water pollution
natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely
surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People
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