Country Profile: Mauritius

Mauritius is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 800 km east of Madagascar. The country boasts a diverse population primarily of Indo-Mauritian descent, a legacy of its colonial past and labor migration. With a parliamentary republic governance structure, Mauritius is recognized for its stable democracy and robust economy that has evolved from sugar plantations to a more diversified portfolio including tourism and financial services. Despite its small land area, the nation demonstrates significant urbanization and high population density.

Geography

Mauritius is situated in Southern Africa as an island in the Indian Ocean, with a total area of 2,040 sq km, including the Agalega Islands and Rodrigues. The terrain consists of a small coastal plain encircled by mountains, leading to the highest peak, Mont Piton, at 828 m. The climate is tropical, with warm, dry winters and hot, humid summers, further affected by southeast trade winds. The island has no land boundaries and features 177 km of coastline.

43% of land is designated for agriculture (2023).
The island is renowned for its coral reefs, once home to the extinct dodo bird.
Mauritius faces cyclones from November to April as a natural hazard.

People and Society

As of 2025, Mauritius has an estimated population of 1,311,375, with a majority of Indo-Mauritian descent, alongside Creole, Sino-Mauritian, and Franco-Mauritian communities. The country has a median age of 40 years and urbanizes at a rate of 0.28% annually. The population enjoys a high literacy rate of 94.3%, and life expectancy at birth is around 75.4 years.

48.5% of the population identify as Hindu (2011).
With a total fertility rate of 1.36 children, the population growth rate is only 0.06% (2025 est.).
Urban areas constitute 40.9% of the total population (2023).

Economy

Mauritius has transitioned to an upper middle-income economy characterized by a diversified portfolio, with sectors such as tourism, financial services, and agriculture playing significant roles. As of 2024, the GDP (PPP) is projected at $34.406 billion, with a real GDP growth rate of 4.7%. However, the economy remains vulnerable, particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted tourism.

64.4% of GDP comes from the services sector (2024).
Unemployment rate stands at 5.5% (2024 est.).
Agricultural exports include sugarcane and fish; the industry is primarily focused on food processing, textiles, and tourism.

Government

Mauritius operates as a parliamentary republic, with the President serving as the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. The legal system is based on civil law, primarily influenced by French law, and the country has a history of political stability since gaining independence from the UK in 1968.

The latest constitution was adopted on 12 March 1968.
The National Assembly has 67 seats, with the most recent elections held in 2024.
The Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has been in office since 2024.

Military and Security

Mauritius has no regular military forces; instead, its security relies on the Mauritius Police Force (MPF), which includes a paramilitary unit. The MPF is focused on maintaining public order and combating drug trafficking, supported by international partners like India, the UK, and the US.

The MPF's Special Mobile Force was established in 1960.
Key security activities include improving maritime security and cybercrime response (2025).

Energy

Mauritius has achieved 100% electrification for its population as of 2022, with an installed electricity generation capacity of 955,000 kW, mostly from fossil fuels. The country is making strides in renewable energy sources, although fossil fuels still dominate electricity generation.

82.4% of electricity generation comes from fossil fuels (2023).
Total energy consumption per capita is 60.188 million Btu (2023).

Environment

Environmental challenges in Mauritius include water pollution, solid waste disposal, and coral reef degradation. The country is a party to numerous international environmental agreements aimed at biodiversity and climate change.

Agricultural land occupies 43% of the total land area (2023).
Municipal solid waste generation estimated at 438,000 tons annually (2024).

Transportation

Mauritius has a total of five airports and its main port, Port Louis, is essential for maritime trade. The civil aircraft registration code is 3B and the merchant marine consists of 32 vessels.

2 primary ports including Port Louis and Port Mathurin (2024).
The country has one heliport as of 2025.

Communications

Mauritius has a robust communications infrastructure with high mobile penetration. The country boasts an internet user base of 80% and maintains a national broadcaster, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).

2.2 million mobile cellular subscriptions reported in 2024.
Fixed broadband subscriptions total 343,000 (2023).

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	1,311,375	Estimated for 2025
Area	2,040 sq km	Includes various islands
GDP (PPP)	$34.406 billion	Estimated for 2024
Unemployment Rate	5.5%	Estimated for 2024
Life Expectancy at Birth	75.4 years	Estimated for 2024
Literacy Rate	94.3%	Estimated for 2023
Urban Population	40.9%	Of total population (2023)
Energy Consumption per Capita	60.188 million Btu/person	Estimated for 2023
Birth Rate	9.73 births/1,000 people	Estimated for 2025
Total Agricultural Land	43%	Of total land area (2023)