The Republic of Mauritius is a very small insular country, some 800 km east of Madagascar, south of Africa. It is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, and, apart from the island of Mauritius, it consists of some smaller ones such as the Rodrigues, St. Brandon and Agalega islands. Volcanic in origin, its territory is formed around a central plateau. The highest peak is Piton, at 828 meters above sea level.
The country has two large lakes: the Grand Bassin and Vacoas, used as freshwater reservoirs for the island. The climate is tropical.
Nearly 43% of the population lives in urban areas and descends from different ethnic groups (Indian, European, Chinese and African).
Mauritius’ economy has experienced a growth of 5.1% during the last five years due to diversification, as, besides agriculture, it is now developing the tourism, textile and financial services areas.
The functions of the Executive branch are performed by the President who is the Head of State, as well as the Primer Minister and the Cabinet. The Legislative branch is the responsibility of the National Assembly, a unicameral parliament of 70 members. The Supreme Court is the main body of the Judiciary.
