Mauritius

After centuries of foreign domination, Mauritius-an island nation located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar-eventually became a British protectorate. After obtaining independence in 1968, Mauritius became one of the most highly developed countries in Africa. Some 42 percent of the population now lives in urban areas, and 70.5 percent of the gross national product is derived from the service industry.

With a per capita income of $12,400 and an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, 8 percent of the population live in poverty. Most Mauritians are Indo-Mauritian (68 percent), but there is also a large group of Creoles (27 percent). The largest religious groups are Hindu (48 percent), Roman Catholic (23.6 percent), and Muslim (16.6 percent). Although English is the official language, more than 80 percent of the population speaks Creole. Mauritian females have legal equality, and the government and nongovernmental organizations have worked together to improve the status of women and address inequities that do exist. The most pervasive problem is domestic violence.

The number of women in the national legislature trebled in 2005, rising from four to 12, and making it a banner for women in politics. Previously, Mauritius had one of the lowest female participation rates in politics in Africa. This increase was in large part a result of the success of woman-oriented nongovernmental organizations. Social indicators reflect government commitment to addressing problems. Total infant mortality is 12.2 deaths per 1,000 live births. Female infants (9.77 deaths per 1,000 live births) are more likely to survive than males (14.51 deaths per 1,000 live births), as are adult women, who have a life expectancy of 77.65 years compared with 70.53 years for men. The median age is 32.7 years for women and 31 years for men. Mauritius has a fertility rate of 1.81 children per woman.