uslim
16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Languages:
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official;
spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified
0.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 88.6%
female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius
local long form: Republic of Mauritius
local short form: Mauritius

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Port Louis
geographic coordinates: 20 10 S, 57 30 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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

Independence:
12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system with elements of English common
law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5
July 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election
last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in February 2007); prime
minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president,
responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to
various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)
election