Part 481

Map references: World

Area: total area: 1,860 sq km land area: 1,850 sq km comparative area: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 177 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Climate: tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 54% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 31% other: 7%

Irrigated land: 170 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: water pollution natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People ------

Population: 1,140,256 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 157,174; female 152,980) 15-64 years: 67% (male 379,840; female 383,295) 65 years and over: 6% (male 27,429; female 39,538) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.23% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 18.97 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.67 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.53 years male: 66.72 years female: 74.33 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic divisions: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8%