Mauritius

Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars but kept most of the French administrative structure, which remains to this day in the form of the country’s legal codes and widespread use of the French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 -- later than most other British colonies -- led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base and later an air station, and it played a role during World War II in anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as in the collection of signals intelligence.
Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius’ often-fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families, each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM (1968-76) was Mauritius’ first prime minister, and he was succeeded by Anerood JUGNAUTH (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin RAMGOOLAM (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond BERENGER (2003-05), the only non-Hindu prime minister of post-independence Mauritius. In 2017, Pravind JUGNAUTH became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019.
Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly resolutions and an International Court of Justice advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK.

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map

the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; former home of the extinct dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons

population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map

history: several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly

chief of state: President Dharam GOKHOOL (since 7 December 2024)
head of government: Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 13 November 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly
most recent election date: 7 November 2019
election results: 2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote
2015: Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (independent) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote
expected date of next election: 2024

legislature name: National Assembly - Assemblée nationale
legislative structure: unicameral
chamber name: National Assembly
number of seats: 67 (62 directly elected; 4 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 11/10/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC) (60); Other (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 17.9%
expected date of next election: October 2029

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67
subordinate courts: lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal
note: note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal

Alliance Morisien (Mauritian Alliance)
Jean-Claude Barbier Movement (Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier) or MJCB
Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM
Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD
Mauritius Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP
Militant Platform (Plateforme Militante) or PM
Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM
Muvman Liberater or ML
National Alliance
Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotique) or MAG
Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; diversified portfolio; investing in maritime security; strong tourism sector decimated by COVID-19; expanding in information and financial services; environmentally fragile

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67
subordinate courts: lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal
note: note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal

the MPF's inventory is comprised of mostly secondhand equipment from Western European countries and India (2024)

key security priorities for the Maritius Police Force (MPF) include combating narcotics trafficking, ensuring public order, fighting cybercrime, improving maritime security, and responding to natural disasters; the MPF's primary security partner is India, which provides training and other support to the National Coast Guard, while Indian naval vessels often patrol the country's waters; the MPF has also received assistance and training from France, the UK, and the US
the Special Mobile Force was created in 1960 following the withdrawal of the British garrison (2025)

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

refugees: 82 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 39 (2024 est.)

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs; soil erosion; wildlife preservation; solid-waste disposal

the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the national public TV and radio broadcaster, with programming in French, English, Hindi, Creole, and Chinese; MBC provides 17 television channels in Mauritius;  9 FM radio stations and 2 AM radio stations (2022)