Mauritius     [5]
(Independent since 1968 from Great Britain)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: MU
LAND AREA: 1865 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	0	1	1	0	3	1	0	6

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 1134000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 608 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 1%/year
  POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 17%
  URBAN POP: 41% (1994), versus 33% (1960), Annual Growth: 1.5%
  LIFE EXPECTANCY: 70.7 years,  ADULT LITERACY: 82.4%
  INFANT MORTALITY: 17 per/1000 (1994), versus 70 (1960)
  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.831

ECONOMY
  GNP: US$3.5 billion, Annual GNP Growth Rate 1980-1993: 5.9%,  Annual Growth Rate GNP/Capita: 5.5%
  GDP/Capita: $2399  GDP/Capita PPP: $13172
  GDP/Capita: 1960 $815, 1970 $864, 1980 $1241, 1990 $2064
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $23 million  ODA%GNP: 0.7%
  ODA/Capita: $21

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 12,000 ha, 5.9% of land area, 0.0 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 3,000 ha
  ARABLE LAND: 49.0% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 906 kw-hr/capita, versus 273 kw-hr/cap (1970)
  TRADITIONAL FUEL CONSUMPTION: 44% (1993), versus 67% (1973)
  INTERNAL RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES: 2.0,000 cu.m/cap/year
  SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION (1990-92): 19 kg/cap/year, CHANGE SINCE 1980-82: 16%
  CHANGE IN ANNUAL MARINE CATCH 1980-82 to 1990-92: 124%

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY:

National Environmental Commission (chaired by the Prime Minister);      
Department of the Environment (created June 1988) in the Ministry of    
Housing,                                                                
  Lands and Environment.                                                
National Conservation Strategy adopted as Government White Paper, 1985. 
Department of Forestry, Curepipe, Mauritius                             
Fisheries Division, Registrar-General's Building, 3rd level, Port Louis 

About 25 laws concerning environment, but many out of date: Ancient     
Monuments                                                               
Act (1944) provides for protected areas; Forest and Mountain and River  
Reserves Act (1971); Pas Geometriques Act (1895) reserves 81 m coastal  
strip;                                                                  
Fisheries Act (1980) includes reserved areas; The Wildlife Bill (No. XV 
of                                                                      
1983) protects birds, controls hunting; Plants Act (1976); Rivers and   
Canals                                                                  
Act (1863); Maritime Zone Act (1977); Pesticides Control Act (1970);    
Removal                                                                 
of Sand Act (1973); Town and Country Planning Act (1954); new           
legislation in                                                          
preparation.                                                            

The Mauritius Institute (taxonomic and ecological research); Mauritius  
Wildlife Society; Mauritius Underwater Group; network of wildlife clubs.