Long-form name: none

Type: parliamentary democracy

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)

Constitution: 12 March 1968

Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986); Head of Government--Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990)

Political parties and leaders: government coalition--Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul BERENGER; Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis Serge CLAIR; Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO; opposition--Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio MICHEL; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. DUVAL _#_Suffrage universal at age 18

Elections: Legislative Assembly--last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be held by 15 September 1996); results--MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%; seats--(70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2); opposition 3

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: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492; US--Ambassador Penne Percy KORTH; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone [230] 208-9763 through 208-9767

Flag: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

NOTE: The information regarding Mauritius on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mauritius Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mauritius Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.