Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper middle-income economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Mauritius has achieved steady growth over the last several decades, resulting in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure.The economy currently rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, but 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’ textile sector has taken advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade program that allows duty free access to the US market, with Mauritian exports to the US growing by 40% from 2000 to 2014.Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped to mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-14, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe. Growth in the US and Europe fostered goods and services exports, including tourism, while lower oil prices kept inflation low in 2015.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$25.85 billion (2016 est.) $24.97 billion (2015 est.) $24.12 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.74 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2016 est.) 3.5% (2015 est.) 3.6% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$20,500 (2016 est.) $19,800 (2015 est.) $19,200 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 86
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
15.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 16.3% of GDP (2015 est.) 17% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 74%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 14.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 17.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 3.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 50.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -59.8% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 22.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 73.9% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services 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:
2.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
624,700 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
[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:
7.8% (2016 est.) 8% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
[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%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.9 (2012 est.) 39 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $2.478 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $2.95 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
21.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
66% of GDP (2016 est.) 63.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2016 est.) 1.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 36
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.3% (31 December 2016 est.) 8.5% (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$2.743 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $2.547 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$12.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $12.15 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$13.96 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $13.28 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$7.239 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $8.751 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $8.942 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$509 million (2016 est.) -$562 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$2.676 billion (2016 est.) $2.685 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish, primates (for research)

Exports - partners:
UK 13.2%, UAE 12.4%, France 11.9%, US 10.7%, South Africa 8.6%, Madagascar 6.5%, Italy 5.4%, Spain 4.4% (2015)

Imports:
$4.355 billion (2016 est.) $4.526 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
India 18.7%, China 17.8%, France 7.1%, South Africa 6.5%, Vietnam 4.4% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.526 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.26 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$10.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $10.62 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
NA
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 35.56 (2016 est.) 35.057 (2015 est.) 35.057 (2014 est.) 30.622 (2013 est.) 30.05 (2012 est.)