Country Profile - MAURITIUS

General Information

Area: 2040 sq km (788 sq miles).

Population: 1,199,881 (official estimate 2001).

Population Density: 609.4 per sq km.

Capital: Port Louis. Population: 147,131 (1998).

GEOGRAPHY: Mauritius, a volcanic and mountainous island in the Indian Ocean, lies 2000km (1240 miles) off the southeastern coast of Africa, due east of Madagascar. The island-state stands on what was once a land bridge between Asia and Africa called the Mascarene Archipelago. From the coast, the land rises to form a broad fertile plain on which sugar cane flourishes. Some 500km (310 miles) east is Rodrigues Island, while northeast are the Cargados Carajos Shoals and 900km (560 miles) to the north is Agalega.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1968. Head of State: President Karl Auguste Offmann since 2002. Head of Government: Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth since 2000.

Language: English is the official language. The most widely spoken languages are French, Creole, Hindi and Bhojpuri. Urdu and Chinese are also among the languages spoken.

Religion: 51 per cent Hindu, 31 per cent Christian, 17 per cent Muslim.

Time: GMT + 4.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-type three-pin plugs are commonly used in hotels.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 230. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 00. There are a limited number of public telephone booths, mainly at the airport and in major hotels.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 networks, with coverage extending over the whole island. etwork operators include Cellplus Mobile Comms (website: www.gocellplus.com) and Emtel (website: www.emtel-ltd.com). Handsets and SIM cards can be hired.

Fax: Most hotels have facilities, as well as Mauritius Telecom offices in Port Louis and Cassis.

Internet: There are a number of ISPs in Mauritius; they include MauriNet, Mauritius Network (MNS), Mauritius Telecom (website: http://mt.intnet.mu) and Telecom Plus (website: www.servihoo.com). There are Internet cafes in Phoenix, Vaoas and other main towns. Most hotels offer internet facilities.

Telegram: Messages can be sent from the Mauritius Telecommunications Service offices in Cassis and Port Louis. There are also facilities at Overseas Telecoms Services Ltd, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis.
Post: Airmail to Western Europe usually takes 5 days; by sea, mail takes 4 to 6 weeks. Post office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0815-1115 and 1200-1600, Sat 0800-1145.

Press: Of the nine daily newspapers, two are published in Chinese and the remainder in French and English. L’Express, Le Mauricien and Le Quotidien have the highest circulation.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Passport/Visa

Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required?
British Yes No Yes
Australian Yes No Yes
Canadian Yes No Yes
USA Yes No Yes
OtherEU Yes No Yes
Japanese Yes No Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of entry required by all. Passports issued by the government of Taiwan are not recognised. The holders of such documents can apply for an entry permit to the Passport and Immigration Officer (see address below).

Note: All visitors must hold valid tickets and documents for their onward or return journey and adequate funds for their intended length of stay.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:

(a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart above for stays up to 3 months;

(b) nationals of Commonwealth countries (except nationals of Bangladesh, Cameroon, Fiji, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Swaziland, who do require a visa) for stays of up to 3 months;

(c) nationals of Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Oman, Qatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City and Zimbabwe for stays of up to 3 months;

(d) transit passengers continuing their journey to a third country within 72 hours provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport;

(e) holders of a re-entry permit issued by the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius.

Types of visa and cost : Tourist, Business and Social, each available as single- or multiple-entry. Visas are issued free of charge.

Validity: Tourist/Business visas: up to 3 months. Applications for extensions should be made to the relevant authority (see below).

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy or High Commission); see Contact Addresses section for details.

Note: (a) Nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China (Rep) (providing holding Hong Kong (SAR) of China’s People’s Republic passports) and Paraguay can obtain a visa on arrival for stays of up to 3 months. (b) Nationals of Albania, Bulgaria, CIS, Comoro Islands, Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Hungary, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic can obtain a visa on arrival for stays of up to 15 days. Extensions are possible.

These visas can be issued from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport or the Passport and Immigration Office in Port Louis (see Contact Addresses section).

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Passport-size photo including photocopy of passport page with date of birth. (c) Proof of sufficient funds (at least US$50 per day or equivalent). (d) Proof of accommodation such as hotel booking or letter of invitation. (e) Self-addressed stamped envelope. (f) Appropriate documents for the next destination, including return or onward tickets.

Working days required: Varies according to nationality of applicant. Most can be issued within 7 days but can take up to 1 month.

Temporary residence: Residence permits are issued by the Passport and Immigration Officer, Sterling House, Lislet Geoffrey Street, Port Louis (tel: 210 9312-9; fax: 210 9322). Work permits are necessary for those taking up employment.

Money

Currency: Mauritian Rupee (MRs) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of MRs2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25. Coins are in denominations of MRs10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, and 5 cents.

Currency exchange: Available in banks and at bureaux de change. A better rate of exchange can be obtained on travellers cheques than on cash.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. Check with your credit, or debit, card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: May be exchanged at banks, hotels and authorised dealers.

Currency restrictions: There are no limits on the import or export of local or foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators: The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Mauritian Rupee against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May '04
£1.00= 46.55 48.44 46.50 49.03
$1.00= 29.18 28.55 25.55 27.45

Banking hours: Mon-Thurs 0915-1530, Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0915-1115 (except for Bank of Mauritius. ome banks may open Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Duty Free

Duty-Free: The following goods may be imported into Mauritius by persons 16 and over without incurring customs duty:

200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products or 50 cigars; 1l of spirits and 2l of wine or beer; 250ml of eau de toilette and a small quantity of perfume for personal use.

Restricted items: Vegetables, fruit, flowers, plants and seeds must be declared, as must firearms and ammunition. Sugar

Public Holidays

Public Holidays: Jan 1-2 2004 New Year. Jan 22 Chinese New Year. Feb 1 Abolition of Slavery Day. Feb 5 Thaipoosam Cavadee. Feb 18 Maha Shivaratri. Mar 12 National Day. Mar 21 Ougadi. May 1 Labour Day. Aug 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sep 19 Ganesh Chaturti. Nov 2 Arrival of Indentured Labourers. Nov 12 Diwali. Nov 14-15 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1-2 2005 New Year. Jan/Feb Thaipoosam Cavadee. Feb Maha Shivaratri. Feb 1 Abolition of Slavery Day. Feb 9 Chinese New Year. Mar Ougadi. Mar 12 National Day. May 1 Labour Day. Aug 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sep Ganesh Chaturti. Nov 1 Diwali. Nov 2 Arrival of Indentured Labourers. Nov 3-4 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day.

Note: (a) Hindu festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon. The dates given above are approximations. (b) There is a diversity of cultures in Mauritius, each with its own set of holidays. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last from 2 to 10 days, depending on the town or region. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix. (d) Chinese festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence.

Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required?
Yellow Fever No 1
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio 2 N/A
Malaria 3 N/A

1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas. The Mauritius government considers those countries and areas classified as yellow fever endemic to be infected.

2: Immunisation against typhoid and poliomyelitis is usually advised.

3: Malaria risk, exclusively in the benign vivax form, exists throughout the year in northern rural areas, except on Rodrigues Island. Recommended prophylaxis is chloroquine.
Food & drink: Water used for drinking should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Bottled water is readily available. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: Diarrhoeal diseases, giardiasis, dysentery and typhoid fever are common. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Hepatitis A, B and E occur.

Health care: Public medical facilities are numerous and of a high standard and there are several private clinics. All treatment at state-run hospitals is free for Mauritians, but foreign visitors have to pay. There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK; health insurance is advised.

Note: For travellers applying for a working visa or permanent residence an HIV test will be required.

Travel – International

AIR: The national airline of Mauritius is Air Mauritius (MK) (website: www.airmauritius.com). Air Austral, Air Europe, Air France, Air India, Air Madagascar, Air Seychelles, Air Zimbabwe, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines and South African Airways also fly to Mauritius.

Approximate flight times: From Mauritius to London is 11 hours 30 minutes (non-stop).

International airports: Mauritius (MRU) (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam) is 48km (30 miles) southeast of Port Louis. Taxis are available to the city (travel time – 45 minutes). Airport facilities include duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, snack bar, post office, shops and car hire (Avis, Europcar and Hertz). A new terminal has recently been built.

Departure tax: None.

SEA: Port Louis is the main port. It is primarily commercial but there is a limited passenger service to Réunion and Rodrigues Island.

Travel – Internal

AIR: Air Mauritius operates daily flights connecting Plaisance Airport and Rodrigues Island (flight time – 1 hour 15 minutes).

SEA: Coraline sails once a week to Rodrigues Island from Port Louis. Contact Mauritius Shipping, Nova Building, One Military Road, Port Louis (tel: 242 2912 or 242 5255; fax: 242 5245).

ROAD: There is a good network of paved roads covering the island. Traffic drives on the left. Bus: There are excellent and numerous bus services to all parts of the island. Taxi: These have white registration plates with black figures. Taxis are metered. Car hire: There are numerous car hire firms. Most require drivers to be over 23 years old. Documentation: International Driving Permit recommended, although a foreign licence is accepted. A temporary driving licence is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid British or Northern Ireland driving licence.

URBAN: Bus and taxi services are available in urban areas. Bicycles and boats are also available to hire.

Travel times: The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Port Louis to other major cities/towns in Mauritius.

Road
Curepipe 0.20
Plaisance 1.00
Grand Bay 0.30
St Geran 1.00
Touessrok 1.00
Souillac 1.00

Accommodation

ACCOMMODATION: There is an abundance of hotels throughout the island and a number of smaller family holiday bungalows. From June to September and during the Christmas season, reservations should be made in advance. A 10 per cent tax is added to all hotel bills. For more information, contact the Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section for details) or the Association des Hôteliers et Restaurateurs de l’Ile Maurice (AHRIM), Level 7, Travel House, Royal Road, Port Louis, Mauritius (tel: 211 4758; fax: 211 7359; website: www.mauritius.net/ahrim), who also have a desk at the airport (tel: 637 3782).

Sport & Activities

Watersports: Beaches, lagoons and inlets around the coast offer plenty of opportunity for safe swimming (see Resorts & Excursions section), supplemented by hotel swimming pools. Grand Baie, north of Pamplemousses Gardens, is a popular beach for diving. Further good dive sites can be found around Fic-en-Flac on the west coast of Mauritius, and on Rodrigues Island. The Mauritian Scuba Diving Association can provide further information (tel: 454 0011; e-mail: msda@intnet.mu). There is good coastal and inland fishing around the island.

Golf: This is becoming increasingly popular on Mauritius, with an annual Golf Open held in December. Golf courses offering 18 holes are at Belle Mare Plage in the northeast and the Paradis Brabant Hotel in the southwest. Smaller rounds can be played at St Geran Hotel, Trou aux Biches, La Pirogue, Sugar Beach and Maritim which offer nine holes.

Other: There are many opportunities for trekking in the interior of the island. Many of the best walks are in the Réserve Forrestière Macchabée and Rivière Noire National Park. Rodrigues Island also has some lovely hiking country, with coastal and mountain walks, notably to the island’s highest points, Mount Limon and Mount Malartic. The Hippodrome at the Champ de Mars has meetings at the weekends between May and October where spectators can watch horseracing.

Social Profile

Food & Drink: Waiter service is normal in restaurants and bars. Standards of cuisine, whether French, Creole, Indian, Chinese or English, are generally very high but fruit, meat, vegetables and even fresh seafood are often in short supply and restaurants must usually depend on imports. Specialities include venison (in season), camarons (freshwater prawns) in hot sauces, octopus, creole fish, fresh pineapple with chilli sauce, and rice with curry. Rum and beer are staple beverages for Mauritians but there is good imported wine, mineral water, alouda (almond drink) and fresh coconut milk.

Nightlife: In Grand Baie and some towns there are discos and nightclubs with music and dancing. Rivière Noire is a Creole fishermen’s district where sega dancing is especially lively on Saturday nights. Sega troupes give performances at most hotels. Gamblers are lavishly catered for; casinos in the island’s hotels are amongst the island’s attractions.

Shopping: The Central Market in Port Louis is full of beautifully displayed goods, including fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, meat and handicrafts. Island crafts include jewellery, Chinese and Indian jade, silks, basketry and pottery. Shopping centres are located at Quatre Bornes and Rose Hill. There is no duty payable on a number of products, including textiles. Shop signs may be in English, French or Chinese. Beside the Museum in Mahébourg, on the south east coast of the island, is a handicraft village. Shopping hours: Port Louis: Mon-Fri 1000-1700, Sat 1000-1200. Curepipe, Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes: Mon-Wed; Fri and Sat 1000-1730, Thurs-Sun 1000-1200.

Special Events: With origins in three continents and three major religions there is a great diversity of religious and cultural festivals. For a complete list and for exact dates of festivals and events, enquire at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Mauritius in 2004:
Jan 14 Thai Pongal (Tamil new year celebrations). Jan 22 Chinese Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). Feb 18 Maha Shivaratree (celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva). Mar Holi (Hindu Festival of Light). Sep 9 Pere Laval’s Day (celebrated in honour of the missionary), Port Louis.

Social Conventions: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Visitors should respect the traditions of their hosts, particularly when visiting a private house. The type of hospitality the visitor receives is determined by the religion and social customs of the host, which are closely related. It is appropriate to give a gift as a small token of appreciation if invited for a meal. Dress is normally informal although men will need to wear a suit for particularly formal occasions. Tipping: 10 per cent is usual in most hotels and restaurants. Tips are not customary for taxi drivers.

Business Profile

Economy: Sugar dominates Mauritius’ agricultural economy: raw and processed sugar accounts for one-quarter of the island’s export earnings. Tobacco and tea are the other main cash crops. Since independence in 1968, the government has deliberately sought to develop the industrial and service components of the economy. The island’s industrial capacity is centred on a number of Export Processing Zones whose main products are clothing and textiles, consumer and industrial electronics, flowers and jewellery. Mauritius’ service economy is based on tourism and financial services. Tourism is well established and now worth over US$500 million annually. The growth of financial services arose from a government initiative implemented in 1989; as a result, the island has since attracted more than US$1 billion of investment, mainly from South Africa and the Indian sub-continent. The overall economy grew at 7 per cent in 2001.
The government’s economic policy aims to counter the threat to the two largest sectors of the economy – sugar and textiles – from new regulations introduced by the World Trade Organisation. The centrepiece of its strategy is the creation of a custom-built ‘cyber-city’, based on similar development in India, using high-speed communications links to offer e-commerce and financial transactions.
The island’s largest trading partners are France, the USA, Hong Kong, the UK and South Africa. Mauritius is a member of the Indian Ocean Commission, which promotes regional economic co-operation, and of the Southern African Development Community.

Business: Suits are often worn in business circles. Appointments Office hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600, Sat 0900-1200 (some offices only).

Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 3 Royal Street, Port Louis (tel: 208 3301; fax: 208 0076; e-mail: mcci@intnet.mu; website: www.mcci.org).

Climate

Climate: Warm coastal climate (particularly January to April), with relatively little seasonal variation in temperatures, although they are generally slightly lower inland, with more rain on the plateau around Curepipe. Cyclones may occur between November and February. Sea breezes blow all year, especially on the east coast.

Required clothing: Tropical lightweights, with warmer wear for evenings and winter months (July-September). Rainwear advisable all year round. In the summer months sun-care products and a hat are advisable.