The republic of Mauritius, a member of the Commonwealth, occupies an island in the Indian Ocean about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar and includes the island dependencies of Rodrigues, Agalega, and Cargados Carajos Shoals. Area: 2,040 sq km (788 sq mi). Pop. (1996 est.): 1,141,000. Cap.: Port Louis. Monetary unit: Mauritian rupee, with (Oct. 11, 1996) a free rate of Mau Rs 20.65 to U.S. $1 (Mau Rs 32.53 = £ 1 sterling). President in 1996, Cassam Uteem; prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam.
A major electoral reversal occurred in December 1995 when the opposition alliance of the Mauritius Labour Party and the Mauritian Militant Movement ousted Sir Anerood Jugnauth’s Mauritian Socialist Movement, which had led the nation since 1982, and won all 60 seats in the island’s 20 constituencies. The Mauritius Labour Party leader, Navin Ramgoolam, became prime minister.
Social and economic conditions in Mauritius continued to improve. Life expectancy at birth was 70 years, the rate of adult literacy was 81.7%, and per capita gross national product was at $3,030; 100% of the population had access to health services, 99% to safe water, and 99% to sanitation.
This article updates MAURITIUS.