Chapter 75
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based; emerging parties include Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic Forces-New Era (UFD/NE), headed by Ahmed Ould DADDAH; Assembly for Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party for Renewal (PMR), Hameida BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party (PAN), Khattry Ould JIDDOU; Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI BADI; Action for Change (AC), Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR
Political pressure groups and leaders: Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bilal Ould WERZEG chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Dorothy Myers SAMPAS embassy: address NA, Nouakchott mailing address: B. P. 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] (2) 526-60, 526-63 FAX: [222] (2) 515-92
Flag description: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy
Economy - overview: A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has begun the second stage of an economic reform program in consultation with the World Bank, the IMF, and major donor countries. Short-term growth prospects are gloomy because of the heavy debt service burden, rapid population growth, and vulnerability to climatic conditions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1995)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (1995)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 31% services: 44% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.5% (1995)
Labor force: total: 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980) by occupation: agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1991 est.)
Budget: revenues: $256 million expenditures : $269 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1995)
Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 105,000 kW (1991)
Electricity - production: 135 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; cattle, sheep; fish products
Exports: total value: $483 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: fish and fish products, iron ore, gold partners : Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg
Imports: total value: $365 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods partners: Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy
Debt - external: $2.3 billion (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates: ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 141.230 (December 1996), 137.222 (1996), 129.768 (1995), 123.575 (1994), 120.806 (1993), 87.027 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Mauritania:Communications
Telephones: 17,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic : mostly cable and open-wire lines international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 300,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 50,000 (1992 est.)
@Mauritania:Transportation
Railways: total: 704 km (single track); note - owned and operated by government mining company standard gauge : 704 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 7,600 km paved: 851 km unpaved: 6,749 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports and harbors: Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 24 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 518,212 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 253,047 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $33 million (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
MAURITIUS
@Mauritius:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E
Map references: World
Area: total: 1,860 sq km land: 1,850 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
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
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
Elevation extremes: 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: 49% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 22% other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 170 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues: water pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Mauritius:People
Population: 1,154,272 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 155,779; female 151,964) 15-64 years : 67% (male 387,406; female 391,167) 65 years and over: 6% (male 27,719; female 40,237) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.21% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 18.81 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.71 years male: 66.88 years female : 74.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian
Ethnic groups: 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: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male : 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)
@Mauritius:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form : Mauritius
Data code: MP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Port Louis
Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRUN (since 1 July 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 27 December 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held NA June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly election results : Cassam UTEEM elected president and Rabindranath GHURBURRUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats - 62 popularly elected, 4 appointed; members serve five-year terms); note - the election commission appoints four members from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/RMM 20%, other 15%; seats by party - MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: government coalition : MLP/MMM alliance, consisting of Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navin RAMGOOLAM] and Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] opposition: MSM/MSR alliance consisting of the Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] and the Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING]; Organization of the People of Rodrigues or OPR [Louis Serge CLAIR]; Mauritius Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Hizbullah [Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY]
Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL (8 July 1996) embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: International Mail: P.O. Box 544, Port Louis; US Mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone : [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767 FAX: [230] 208-9534
Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
Economy
Economy - overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial services, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-96 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry : 31.6% services: 59.1% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6% (1995)
Labor force: total : 479,500 (1993 est.) by occupation: construction and industry 37%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 15%, trade, restaurants, hotels 14%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3%
Unemployment rate: 2.4% (1991 est.)
Budget: revenues: $732 million expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (1992)
Electricity - capacity: 235,000 kW (1991)
Electricity - production: 425 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 393 kWh (1991 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Exports: total value: $1.57 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: clothing and textiles 67%, sugar 25% partners: UK 34%, France 21%, US 15%, Germany 6%, Italy 4%
Imports: total value: $1.98 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities : manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7% partners: France 20%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 6%, Germany 5%
Debt - external: $996.8 million (1993 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 18.528 (January 1997), 17.948 (1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993), 15.563 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Mauritius:Communications
Telephones: 65,000 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 395,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.) note: two new subscription channels began operation in 1995
Televisions: 151,096 (1991 est.)
@Mauritius:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,877 km paved: 1,746 km (including 29 km of expressways) unpaved : 131 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Port Louis
Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 221,147 GRT/309,513 DWT ships by type : bulk 1, cargo 9, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, Special Support Units or SSU, and National Coast Guard)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 333,029 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 169,129 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $11.2 million (FY92/93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.4% (FY92/93)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems ______________________________________________________________________
MAYOTTE
(territorial collectivity of France)
@Mayotte:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total : 375 sq km land: 375 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 185.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: part of Comoro Archipelago
@Mayotte:People
Population: 104,715 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 50% (male 26,101; female 25,877) 15-64 years: 48% (male 25,684; female 24,661) 65 years and over: 2% (male 1,171; female 1,221) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.76% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 47.42 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population : 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 73.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 59.14 years male: 56.82 years female: 61.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups: NA
Religions: Muslim 99%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy: NA
@Mayotte:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte
Data code: MF
Dependency status: territorial collectivity of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Mamoutzou
Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Philippe BOISADAM (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 1997) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPM 12, RPR 4, independents 3 note: Mayotte elects 1 member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held 24 September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPM 1; Mayotte also elects 1 member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held as a special election on 25 May - 1 June 1997); results - percent of vote by party - UDF-CDS 54.3%, RPR 44.3%; seats by party - DF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders: Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Younoussa BAMANA]; Mahoran Rally for the Republic or RPR [Soibahadine Ibrahim RAMADAM]; Democratic Front or Front Democrate [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Association for French Mayotte or Association Pour Mayotte Francaise [Didier BEOUTIS]
International organization participation: FZ
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $54 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $37.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)
Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang, coffee, copra
Exports: total value: $3.64 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra partners : France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion
Imports: total value: $131.5 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: building materials, machinery and transportation equipment, metals, chemicals, rice, clothing, flour partners : France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 20%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note : exhaustive French financial assistance
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Mayotte:Communications
Telephones: 450
Telephone system: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic : NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros and other international connections
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 30,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 3,500 (1994 est.)
@Mayotte:Transportation
Railways: 0 km