A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and
livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many
subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts
in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore,
which account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world
demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The
nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the
world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of
revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in
1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have
resulted in a substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has
begun the second stage of an economic reform program in consultation
with the World Bank, the IMF, and major donor countries.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.2 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.3% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,050 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$280 million
expenditures:
$346 million, including capital expenditures of $61 million (1989
est.)
Exports:
$432 million (f.o.b., 1992 est)
commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products
partners:
Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg
Imports:
$413 million (c.i.f., 1992 est)
commodities:
foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:
Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy
External debt:
$1.9 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
190,000 kW
production:
135 million kWh
consumption per capita:
70 kWh (1991)
Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Agriculture:
accounts for 25% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence
farming and nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river
valley; crops - dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products
number-one export; large food deficit in years of drought
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3
billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist
countries (1970-89), $277 million; Arab Development Bank (1991), $20
million
Currency:
1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates:
ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 124.480 (December 1993), 87.082 (1992),
81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990), 83.051 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Mauritania, Communications
Railroads:
690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated
by government mining company
Highways:
total:
7,525 km
paved:
1,685 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone, otherwise improved 1,040 km; unimproved earth
4,800 km (roads, trails, tracks)
Inland waterways:
mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,290 GRT/1,840 DWT
Airports:
total:
28
usable:
28
with permanent-surface runways:
9
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
17
Telecommunications:
poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay
links, and radio communications stations (improvements being made);
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations - 1
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with six planned
@Mauritania, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National
Police, Presidential Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 467,677; fit for military service 228,385
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 4.2% of GDP (1989)
@Mauritius, Geography
Location:
Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 900 km east of
Madagascar
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1,860 sq km
land area:
1,850 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than 10.5 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:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims UK-administered Chagos Archipelago, which includes 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
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:
subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
by reefs
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
@Mauritius, People
Population:
1,116,923 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.92% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
19.28 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
70.54 years
male:
66.62 years
female:
74.63 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Mauritian(s)
adjective:
Mauritian
Ethnic divisions:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Religions:
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Languages:
English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
80%
male:
85%
female:
75%
Labor force:
335,000
by occupation:
government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing
22%, other 22%
note:
43% of population of working age (1985)
@Mauritius, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form:
Mauritius
Digraph:
MP
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)
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 Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992); Vice President
Rabindranath GHURBURRON (since 1 July 1992)
head of government:
Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime
Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of
the prime minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Legislative Assembly:
elections 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);
MLP/PMSD 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
government coalition:
Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH; Mauritian Militant
Movement (MMM), Prem NABABSING (less 12 legislators under the
leadership of Paul BERENGER, now voting with the opposition);
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), X.
DUVAL; MMM-Berenger Faction, Paul BERENGER
Other political or pressure groups:
various labor unions
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Anund NEEWOOR
chancery:
Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 244-1491 or 1492
FAX:
(202) 966-0983
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Leslie ALEXANDER
embassy:
4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address:
use Embassy street address
telephone:
[230] 208-9763 through 208-9767
FAX:
[230] 208-9534
Flag:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
@Mauritius, Economy
Overview:
The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and
tourism. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area
and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development
strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to exports),
agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in
1992 was impressive, with 6% real growth and low unemployment.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.6 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6.3% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$7,800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.4% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$557 million
expenditures:
$607 million, including capital expenditures of $111 million (1990
est.)
Exports:
$1.32 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%
partners:
EC and US have preferential treatment, EU 77%, US 15%
Imports:
$1.63 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%,
petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%
partners:
EC, US, South Africa, Japan
External debt:
$991 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 7% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
235,000 kW
production:
630 million kWh
consumption per capita:
570 kWh (1992)
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel,
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
machinery, tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 10% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane;
other products - tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats,
fish; net food importer, especially rice and fish
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin
consumption and transshipment are growing problems
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million; Western
(non-US) countries (1970-89), $709 million; Communist countries
(1970-89), $54 million
Currency:
1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 18.696 (January 1994), 17.648
(1993), 15.563 (1992), 15.652 (1991), 14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
@Mauritius, Communications
Highways:
total:
1,800 km
paved:
1,640 km
unpaved:
earth 160 km
Ports:
Port Louis
Merchant marine:
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 162,387 GRT/260,552 DWT, bulk 6,
cargo 7, liquefied gas 1
Airports:
total:
5
usable:
4
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0
Telecommunications:
small system with good service utilizing primarily microwave radio
relay; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to
several countries; over 48,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM,
no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
@Mauritius, Defense Forces
Branches:
National Police Force, including the paramilitary Special Mobile Force
(SMF), Special Support Units (SSU), and National Coast Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 316,975; fit for military service 161,634
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $5 million, 0.2% of GDP (FY89)
@Mayotte
Header
Affiliation:
(territorial collectivity of France)
@Mayotte, Geography
Location:
Southern Africa, in the northern Mozambique Channel about halfway
between Madagascar and Mozambique
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total area:
375 sq km
land area:
375 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claimed by Comoros
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon
(November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating with ancient volcanic peaks, deep ravines
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land:
NA%
permanent crops:
NA%
meadows and pastures:
NA%
forest and woodland:
NA%
other:
NA%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
subject to cyclones during rainy season
international agreements:
NA
Note:
part of Comoro Archipelago
@Mayotte, People
Population:
93,468 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.8% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
48.84 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
10.84 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
79.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
57.81 years
male:
55.63 years
female:
60.06 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.77 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective:
Mahoran
Ethnic divisions:
NA
Religions:
Muslim 99%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy:
total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
NA
@Mayotte, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form:
Mayotte
Digraph:
MF
Type:
territorial collectivity of France
Capital:
Mamoutzou
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:
Prefect Jean-Jacques DERACQ (since NA); President of the General
Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1976)
Legislative branch:
unicameral
General Council (Conseil General):
elections last held March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) MPM 12, RPR 5
French Senate:
elections last held on 24 September 1989 (next to be held September
1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MPM 1
French National Assembly:
elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 1998);
results - UDF-CDS 54.3%, RPR 44.3%; seats - (1 total) UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders:
Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM), Younoussa BAMANA; Party for the
Mahoran Democratic Rally (PRDM), Daroueche MAOULIDA; Mahoran Rally for
the Republic (RPR), Mansour KAMARDINE; Union for French Democracy
(UDF), Maoulida AHMED; Center of Social Democrats (CDS),
Member of:
FZ
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Flag:
the flag of France is used
@Mayotte, Economy
Overview:
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance.
Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of
tourism.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $54 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$600 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$37.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)
Exports:
$4 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
ylang-ylang, vanilla
partners:
France 79%, Comoros 10%, Reunion 9%
Imports:
$21.8 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
building materials, transportation equipment, rice, clothing, flour
partners:
France 57%, Kenya 16%, South Africa 11%, Pakistan 8%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
NA
production:
NA
consumption per capita:
NA
Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry
Agriculture:
most important sector; provides all export earnings; crops - vanilla,
ylang-ylang, coffee, copra; imports major share of food needs
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $402 million
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993),
5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Mayotte, Communications
Highways:
total:
42 km
paved:
bituminous 18 km
unpaved:
24 km
Ports:
Dzaoudzi
Airports:
total:
1
usable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1
Telecommunications:
small system administered by French Department of Posts and
Telecommunications; includes radio relay and high-frequency radio
communications for links to Comoros and international communications;
450 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV
@Mayotte, Defense Forces
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France
@Mexico, Geography
Location:
Middle America, between Guatemala and the US
Map references:
North America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1,972,550 sq km
land area:
1,923,040 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total 4,538 km, Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km
Coastline:
9,330 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the natural prolongation of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims Clipperton Island (French possession)
Climate:
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain:
high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert
Natural resources:
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
39%
forest and woodland:
24%
other:
24%
Irrigated land:
51,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
natural water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and
poor quality in center and extreme southeast; untreated sewage and
industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation;
widespread erosion; desertification; serious air pollution in the
national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border
natural hazards:
subject to tsunamis along the Pacific coast, destructive earthquakes
in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf and Caribbean
coasts
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
Note:
strategic location on southern border of US
@Mexico, People
Population:
92,202,199 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.94% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
27.17 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
4.73 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
27.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
72.94 years
male:
69.36 years
female:
76.7 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.17 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Mexican(s)
adjective:
Mexican
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo (Indian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian
30%, Caucasian or predominantly Caucasian 9%, other 1%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%
Languages:
Spanish, various Mayan dialects
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
87%
male:
90%
female:
85%
Labor force:
26.2 million (1990)
by occupation:
services 31.7%, agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing 28%,
commerce 14.6%, manufacturing 11.1%, construction 8.4%, transportation
4.7%, mining and quarrying 1.5%
@Mexico, Government