and write total
population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Louis

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Karl OFFMANN (since 25
February 2002) and Vice President Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 17 September
2000) 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; election
last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister
and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to
the National Assembly election results: percent of vote by the National
Assembly - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected
by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing
political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities;
members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2000
(next to be held by September 2005) election results: percent of vote
by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party -
MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH];
Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian
Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM;
Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING];
Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL];
Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] - governing
party; Rodrigues Movement or OPR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions

International organization partic