_Religion: Hindu 52%, Christian (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant
2.3%) 28.3%, Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

_#_Language: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bojpoori

_#_Literacy: 61% (male 72%, female 50%) age 13 and over can
read and write (1962)

_#_Labor force: 335,000; government services 29%, agriculture and
fishing 27%, manufacturing 22%, other 22%; 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: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*;
Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port,
Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
Rodrigues*, Savanne

_#_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 Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12
June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September
1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:

government coalition--Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A.
JUGNAUTH; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul BERENGER;
Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR;
Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO;

opposition--Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN;
Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL;
Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. DUVAL

_#_Suffrage universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

Legislative Assembly--last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be
held by 15 September 1996);
results--MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%;
seats--(70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26,
OPR 2, MTD 2); opposition 3

_#_Communists: may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist
organizations; Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's
Committee, Mauri