Page last updated on February 5, 2013
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, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped to mitigate negative effects from the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-12, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.26 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$19.6 billion (2011 est.)
$18.82 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.93 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
3.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
4.1% (2011 est.)
4.2% (2010 est.)
[see also:
GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita:
$15,600 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$15,200 (2011 est.)
$14,700 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.5%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
23.5%
services:
72% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
617,800 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing: 9%
construction and industry:
30%
transportation and communication:
7%
trade, restaurants, hotels:
22%
finance:
6%
other services:
25% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
7.9% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
8% (2006 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%:
NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
37 (1987 est.)
[see also:
Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $2.421 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures:
$2.919 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
20.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
61.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
57.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also:
Public debt country ranks ]
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
6.5% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2010 est.)
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
[see also:
Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.5% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
8.92% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$2.293 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
$2.323 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$26.17 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
$23.87 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$11.75 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$12 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.54 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 79
$6.506 billion (31 December 2010)
$4.74 billion (31 December 2009)
[see also:
Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$1.433 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
-$1.164 billion (2011 est.)
[see also:
Current account balance country ranks ]
Exports:
$2.631 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$2.645 billion (2011 est.)
[see also:
Exports country ranks ]
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
Exports - partners:
UK 21.3%, France 17.8%, US 10.5%, Italy 8.1%, South Africa 7.7%, Spain 7.1%, Madagascar 6.2% (2011)
Imports:
$5.111 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
