About Mauritius
quick info..
Introduction
Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean approximately 800 km off the East Coast of Madagascar.Population
The population of the Island is approximately 1,200,000 made up principally by people of Indian, African, European and Chinese origin. Mauritius takes pride in the fact that these different cultures co-exist in peace and succeed in creating a cultural entity that is distinctly Mauritian.
Political Structure
The British ruled Mauritius for 158 years until 12 March 1968 when it became an independent country within the Commonwealth. The Republic of Mauritius is a Westminster style democracy. The President is the Head of State and Commander in Chief. Full executive power rests with the Prime Minister who is Head of Government. The Members of Parliament are elected every five years by popular vote and a number of political parties contest the elections, reflecting the country's firm commitment to a multi-party political system.Economy
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourism sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%.
The government's development strategy centres on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 34,000 offshore entities engaging in a wide range of activities which make use of its global business platform for tax efficient investments around the world. Out of these, are investment funds in excess of 500, with a net asset value of nearly 50 billion USD..
The economy in 2008 grew by 5 % and unemployment rate was estimated at about 7.2 %, while inflation stood at 9 %. In the World Bank's Doing Business Survey 2008, Mauritius ranks first in the African region and 24th out of 181 countries.