low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy
rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial
services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and
communications technology, and hospitality and property development.
Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and
accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development
strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of
development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than
32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South
Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has
reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,
has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and
Opportunity Act (AGOA). Mauritius' sound economic policies and
prudent banking practices helped to mitigate negative effects from
the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew 3.6% in 2010 and
the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach
around the globe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.49 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$16.88 billion (2009 est.)
$16.37 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.427 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
3.1% (2009 est.)
5.1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$13,100 (2009 est.)
$12,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 24.6%
services: 70.5% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
597,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing: 9%
construction and industry: 30%
transportation and communication: 7%
trade, restaurants, hotels: 22%
finance: 6%
other services: 25% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
7.3% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
8% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
37 (1987 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Public debt:
60.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
62.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
2.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
21.54% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.889 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 120
$1.906 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$9.605 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
$9.277 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.23 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$9.423 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.74 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 87
$3.443 billion (31 December 2008)
$5.666 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining,
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
machinery, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Electricity - production:
2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - consumption:
2.158 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Oil - imports:
22,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Current account balance:
-$949 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
-$674.6 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$2.041 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$1.942 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
Exports - partners:
UK 25.55%, France 16.89%, US 9.51%, Italy 5.68%, UAE 5.47%, Belgium
4.93%, Madagascar 4.11% (2009)
Imports:
$3.935 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$3.499 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
India 24.5%, France 14.02%, South Africa 8.55%, China 8.17% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.36 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$2.304 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$5.043 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$4.474 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 30.991 (2010), 31.96 (2009),
27.973 (2008), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006)
Communications ::Mauritius
Telephones - main lines in use:
379,100 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 104
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.087 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 145
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005;
fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular
services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2009 reaching 85 per
100 persons
international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE
submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where
it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further
links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries (2009)
Broadcast media:
the government maintains control over TV broadcasting through the
Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which operates 3 analog
and 10 digital TV stations; MBC is a shareholder in a local company
that operates 2 pay TV stations; the state retains the largest radio
broadcast network with multiple stations; several private radio
broadcasters have entered the market since 2001; transmissions of at
least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.mu
Internet hosts:
36,653 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 94
Internet users:
290,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 132
Transportation ::Mauritius
Airports:
5 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 179
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 2,066 km
country comparison to the world: 172
paved: 2,066 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 3
country comparison to the world: 136
by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Port Louis
Military ::Mauritius
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile
Force, National Coast Guard (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 343,279 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 279,405
females age 16-49: 283,023 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 10,565
female: 10,447 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Transnational Issues ::Mauritius
Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs:
consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small
amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Mayotte (Africa)
Introduction ::Mayotte
Background:
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the
Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
independence. In March 2009, Mayotte voted overwhelmingly to become
France's 101st department - and fifth overseas department - a change
scheduled to become official in 2011.
Geography ::Mayotte
Location:
Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half
way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 374 sq km
country comparison to the world: 204
land: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern
monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mlima Benara 660 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
People ::Mayotte
Population:
231,139 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.3 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 16.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.171% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Birth rate:
38.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Death rate:
7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.75 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 41
male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.28 years
country comparison to the world: 174
male: 60.99 years
female: 65.63 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups:
NA
Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
35% of the population
Literacy:
86%
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Mayotte
Country name:
conventional long form: Department Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:
departmental collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France where applicable apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007);
represented by Prefect Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)
head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani
DOUCHINA (since March 2008)
cabinet: NA
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;
next election to be held in 2014
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held on 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic
Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political
parties are the same as parties in France
note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections
last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1,
UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National
Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in
2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
independent 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Federation of Mahorans or
UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for
Democracy or FRAP; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI];
Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM];
Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist
Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti
Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
InOC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on
a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red
capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms are a blue
upper half with white upturned crescent moon and a red lower half
with two yellow ylang-ylang flowers, supported on either side by a
white seahorse, and set above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We
are Vigilant)
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
National anthem:
note: as an overseas collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is
official (see France)
Economy ::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, an important
supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the
development of tourism.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$953.6 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,900 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
44,560 (2002)
country comparison to the world: 190
Unemployment rate:
25.4% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 174
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 49
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish,
livestock
Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
139.2 million kWh (2005)
country comparison to the world: 184
Exports:
$6.5 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 213
Exports - commodities:
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
cinnamon
Imports:
$341 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 191
Imports - commodities:
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
chemicals
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6734
(2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 202
Telephones - mobile cellular:
48,100 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 197
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system administered by French Department
of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros
Broadcast media:
the publicly-owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in
France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the
RFO Mayotte television and radio station (2008)
Internet country code:
.yt
Internet hosts:
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 231
Transportation ::Mayotte
Airports:
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 216
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Dzaoudzi
Military ::Mayotte
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 37,001
females age 16-49: 36,018 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,627
female: 2,619 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of
French forces is stationed on the island
Transnational Issues ::Mayotte
Disputes - international:
claimed by Comoros
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Mexico (North America)
Introduction ::Mexico
Background:
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under
Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early
in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over
half a century. The global financial crisis beginning in late 2008
caused another massive economic downturn the following year. As the
economy recovers, ongoing economic and social concerns include low
real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the
1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was
succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON. In
January 2009, Mexico assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security
Council for the 2009-10 term.
Geography ::Mexico
Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific
Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States
Geographic coordinates:
23 00 N, 102 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 1,964,375 sq km
country comparison to the world: 15
land: 1,943,945 sq km
water: 20,430 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 4,353 km
border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Coastline:
9,330 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain:
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land: 12.66%
permanent crops: 1.28%
other: 86.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:
63,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
457.2 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 78.22 cu km/yr (17%/5%/77%)
per capita: 731 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
volcanism: Mexico experiences volcanic activity in the
central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja
California are mostly dormant; Colima (elev. 3,850 m, 12,631 ft),
which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is
responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it
has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association
of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of
study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human
populations; Popocatepetl (elev. 5,426 m, 17,802 ft) poses a threat
to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena,
Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San
Martin, Socorro, and Tacana
Environment - current issues:
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues
Environment - international agreements: