Africa > East Africa > Mauritius

Mauritius

Capital: Port Louis; GDP growth (annual %) 2016: 3.7%
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Key Facts

Full name: The Republic of Mauritius
Population: 1.3 million (UN, 2011)
Area: 2,040 sq km (788 sq miles)
Major languages: English (official), Creole, French, Indian languages
Major religions: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 77 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Mauritian rupee=100 cents
Main exports: Sugar, clothing, tea, jewellery
GNI per capita: US $7,750 (World Bank, 2010)
Internet domain: .mu
International dialling code: +230

 

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  • Africa’s 20 most attractive countries for investors – Ernst & Young

    2016/05/16

    Despite its economy slowing down, South Africa remains Africa’s most attractive country for investors, according to the 2016 Ernst & Young Africa Attractiveness Index.

    The statement evaluates evolution made in governance, diversification, infrastructures, business enablement, human development inclunding resilience to current macroeconomic challenges.

    Morocco is ranked second on the index, followed by Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Ghana Botswana, Tunisia and Rwanda. Cote d’Ivoire comes tenth.

    Africa’s top economy, Nigeria comes 15th, mainly because of its poor performances in terms of governance and human improvment(See full ranking below).

  • Mauritius: Africa’s next banking hub?

    2013/09/17

    Mauritian banks have navigated the country’s economic slowdown well by growing their local loan books inclunding their overseas operations. And the latter have been boosted by Africa’s economic buoyancy, which bankers say Mauritius should exploit to become a hub for investments into the continent.

    Mauritius has long punched above its weight. The small island, located far into the Indian Ocean with a people of just 1.3 million and no natural resources to speak of, is one of Africa’s wealthiest nations on a per capita basis, while its economy is part the majority sophisticated on the continent.

  • Africa: Making Things Happen at the Bank - 'Not a Talk Shop' - Akin Adesina

    2017/07/02

    Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is focusing on five areas to achieve the African and world goals for a prosperous continent since becoming president of the African Development Bank - Africa's major public financial institution in September 2015. He was a keynote speaker at this month's Corporate Council on Africa's U.S.- Africa Business Summit in Washington D.C. and moderated a lively panel with five African government ministers. He as well received the Gene White Lifetime Succcess Award from the World Child Nutrition Foundation. This week, he was named the 2017 recipient of the World Food Prize, a prestigious honor that includes a $250,000 award. In an interview in Washington, DC, Adesina discussed the Development Bank's ambitious schedule and his vision for attracting the increase capital Africa needs. Posting questions for AllAfrica was Noluthando Crockett-Ntonga.

  • Central bank governor Rameswurlall Basant Roi

    2017/05/07

    For the past two years, Mauritius’s central bank has fostered measures to fortify the country's banking sector, which accounts for 12% of its GDP. While reforms are paying off, challenges such as offshore business risk persist and need to be managed, as central bank governor Rameswurlall Basant Roi tells James King.

  • Outlook for 2014-17

    2013/10/10

    The country (Mauritius) is situated in Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.
    Land in Mauritius is small coastal plain rising to irregular mountains encircling central plateau.
    Mauritian land covers an area of 2040 km²

    The climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May).
    Mauritian(s) speak Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the people), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census).