MAURITIUS (Continued)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March
Branches: executive power exercised by Prime Minister and 21-man Council of Ministers; unicameral legislature (National Assembly) with 62 members elected by direct suffrage, 8 specially elected
Government leader: Prime Minister Dr. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM
Suffrage: universal over age 18
Elections: legislative elections held in December 1976; municipal elections held in 1977
Political parties and leaders: the government is presently controlled by the Mauritian Labor Party (S. Ramgoolam) and supported by several dissident members of the Mauritian Social Democratic Party (G. Duval); the main opposition parties are the Mauritian Militant Movement (P. Berenger) and the Mauritian Socialist Party (H. Boodhoo); there are also several minor parties
Voting strength: the Mauritian Labor Party, supported by dissident members of the Mauritian Social Democratic Party, had a majority in the National Assembly before it was dissolved in December 1981, in preparation for parliamentary elections in 1982
Communists: may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist organizations; Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's Committee, Mauritius Communist Party, Mauritius People's Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist League,Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle School Friendly Association, Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society
Other political or pressure groups: various labor unions
Member of: Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ISO, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
ECONOMY
GNP: $890 million (1980), $890 per capita; real growth -9% in 1980
Agriculture: sugar crop is major economic asset; about 40% of land area is planted to sugar; most food imported—rice is the staple food—and since cultivation is already intense and expansion of cultivable areas is unlikely, heavy reliance on food imports except sugar and tea will continue
Shortage: land
Industries: mainly confined to processing sugarcane, tea; some small-scale, simple manufactures; tobacco fiber; some fishing; tourism, diamond cutting, weaving and textiles, electronics
Electric power: 180,000 kW capacity (1980); 370 million kWh produced (1980), 385 kWh per capita
Exports: $318 million (f.o.b., 1981); $187 million sugar, $4 million tea, $5 million molasses
Imports: $456 million (f.o.b., 1981); foodstuffs 30%, manufactured goods about 25%
Major trade partners: all EC-nine countries and US have preferential treatment, UK buys over 50% of Mauritius's sugar export at heavily subsidized prices; small amount of sugar exported to Canada, US, and Italy; imports from UK and EC primarily, also from South Africa, Australia, and Burma; some minor trade with China
Aid: economic commitments—Western (non-US) countries (1970-79), $137.0 million; Communist countries (1970-79), $40.2 million; US authorizations (FY70-80), $22.2 million
Budget: (1981) revenues $235 million, current expenditures $381 million, development expenditures $120 million
Monetary conversion rate: 8.88 Mauritian rupees=US$1 1981 (floating with pound sterling)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 1,786 km total; 1,636 km paved, 150 km earth
Ports: 1 major (Port Louis)
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft, leased in
Airfields: 5 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: small system with good service; HF radio links to several countries; 1 AM, no FM, and 4 TV stations; 36,400 telephones (4.0 per 100 popl.); 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT station
DEFENSE FORCES
Military manpower: males 15-49, 259,000; 135,000 fit for military service
Military budget: for fiscal year ending 30 June 1981, $4.5 million
