by the president and are responsible
to the National Assembly
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on
recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly: elections last held on 20 December 1995 (next
to be held by December 2000); results - MMM/MLP 65%, MSM/RMM 20%,
other 15%; seats - (66 total; 62 elected, 4 appointed) MLP 35, MMM
25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were
Rodrigues Movement 2, Gaetan Duval Party 1, Hizballah 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
government coalition: MLP/MMM alliance - Mauritian Labor Party
(MLP), Navin RAMGOOLAM; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul
BERENGER
opposition: Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis
Serge CLAIR; Rodrigues Movement, Nicolas VONMALLY; Gaetan Duval
Party, Gaetan DUVAL; Hizbullah, Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY; Militant
Socialist Movement (MSM); Mauritian Militant Resurgence (MMR)

Other political or pressure groups: various labor unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anund Priyay NEEWOOR
chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie M. ALEXANDER
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767
FAX: [230] 208-9534

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

Economy
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Economic overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has
developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle
income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in
increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much
improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the
cult