Population (2019, millions)¹	1.26
Population Projections (2030, millions)¹	1.28
Economically active population in agriculture (as % of Economically active population)12, 2019	6.8
Capital	Port-Louis
Surface Area (km²)²	2,040
Weather¹¹	In Port-Louis: Hottest month, January, 23-30°C; coldest months, July-August, 17-24°C; driest month, September, 36 mm average rainfall; wettest month, March, 221 mm average rainfall
Languages³	Creole, Bhojpuri, French, English and others
Main Religions³	Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim, other Christian and none
Time⁴	Mauritius Time (MUT) +0400 UTC
Driving Orientation⁵	Left Side
Internet Country Code⁶	.mu
Country Calling Code	+230
Plug, Socket and Voltage⁷	Type C and G - 230V/50Hz
Currency	Mauritian Rupee (MUR) - 1/100 = Cent
Exchange Rate (As of 2 February 2019, per USD)⁸	33.90 (buy rate)
GDP at Market Prices (2018, current, billions of USD)⁹	14.22
GDP Growth (2018, annual %)⁹	3.77
Average GDP Growth (2014-2018, annual %)⁹	3.74
GDP per Capita, PPP (2018, current international $)⁹	23,709
Inflation, Consumer Prices (2018, annual %)⁹	3.21
Average Inflation, Consumer Prices (2014-2018, annual %)⁹	2.47
Total Reserves in Months of Imports (2018)⁹	5.31

Sources:
¹United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
²COMESA Statistics, COMESTAT Data Hub.
³CIA World Factbook.
⁴Time and Date Portal.
⁵Chartsbin Portal, "Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country".
⁶Wikipedia, "List of Internet top-level domains"; and, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, Root Zone Database.
⁷International Electrotechnical Commission, World Plugs.
⁸Bank of Mauritius – The Central Bank of Mauritius.
⁹World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.
¹¹Economist Intelligence Unit.
12AFDB Socio Economic Database

Reasons to Invest in Mauritius

• Robust Infrastructure Landscape & Connectivity including an integrated and expanding road network, an efficient and competitive port with deep-water quays, modern international airport, expand logistics platform and state of the art light railway system. 
• A competitive and attractive business environment; ranks 1st in Africa in the World Bank Doing Business 2020; ranks 1st in Africa for the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance 2018; 1st in Africa in the Index of Economic Freedom – Heritage Foundation, and 1st in Africa in the Economic Freedom of the World – Fraser Institute; 
• Political stability; ranks 1st in Africa in Democracy Index 2018 (The Economist Intelligence Unit). 
• Provides lucrative fiscal incentives for investors, and offers competitive operational cost. 
• Availability of skilled and bilingual (English/French) workforce 

Source: Economic Development Board - EDB Mauritius. 

Population Projections (millions)

Population (2019)	1.26
Population Projections (2030)	1.28

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Population Residing in Urban Areas (%)

Population Projections (2019)	40.76
Percentage of Population Residing in Urban Areas (2030)	41.85

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Youth Literacy Rates (2017, %)

Youth Literacy Rate, Population 15-24 Years, Both Sexes	99.04
Youth Literacy Rate, Population 15-24 Years, Female	99.35
Youth Literacy Rate, Population 15-24 Years, Male	98.73

Source: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

Unemployment (2018, % of Total Labour Force)

Unemployment, Total	6.86
Unemployment, Female	10.06
Unemployment, Male	4.79

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.

Labour Force (2017, % of Ages 15+)

Labour Force Participation Rate, Total	58.16
Labour Force Participation Rate, Female	44.98
Labour Force Participation Rate, Male	71.84
Labour Force, Total (number)	605,008

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.

GDP

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
GDP at Market Prices (current, billions of USD)	12.8	11.69	12.23	13.25	14.22
GDP Growth (annual %)	3.74	3.55	3.83	3.81	3.77

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.

Value Added by Sector (% of GDP)

Indicator	2018	2019
Agriculture	3.64	4.14
Manufacturing	15.57	16.78
Industry	24.19	25.07
Services	91.17	89.79
Construction	5.49	5.30
Electricity, gas and water	2.84	2.70
Mining and quarrying	0.29	0.30
Education	5.78	5.78
Finance, real estate and business services	30.61	30.34
Public administration and Defense	7.33	7.44
Health and Social Work	5.29	5.11
Other services	6.26	6.03
Transport, storage and communication	12.64	12.56
Wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants	23.25	22.54

Source: AFDB Socio Economic Database.

Import Partners (Imported Value, thousands, USD)

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
World	5,372,465	4,617,186	4,481,286	5,439,562	5,589,431
India	1,170,077	822,883	741,003	892,862	1,022,242
China	865,838	831,494	792,763	891,715	919,653
South Africa	354,909	306,210	336,300	464,077	516,479
France	410,524	328,239	348,160	432,730	454,009
United Arab Emirates	100,875	73,907	82,967	117,269	190,708

Source: COMTRADE Statistics.

Export Partners (Exported Value, thousands, USD)

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
World	2,567,753	2,401,649	2,117,260	2,176,805	1,964,082
United Kingdom	344,739	313,265	254,544	251,440	215,646
South Africa	160,680	173,585	172,553	158,629	175,422
United States of America	254,014	231,999	241,135	183,411	173,540
France	243,580	187,285	243,153	189,193	163,656
Spain	108,420	75,474	94,181	104,065	97,687

Source: COMTRADE Statistics.

Mauritius’ Top Import Products (USD ‘000)

Chapter	Description	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
	All products	5,372,465	4,617,186	4,481,286	5,439,562	5,589,431
27	Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes	1,026,381	704,443	615,420	919,696	1,123,919
85	Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles	643,902	589,052	469,947	389,394	471,230
84	Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof	331,930	279,186	311,296	452,710	402,155
87	Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof	276,185	257,459	293,623	368,891	383,555
03	Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates	305,599	256,063	285,600	358,073	288,762

Source: COMTRADE Statistics.

Mauritius’ Top Export Products (USD ‘000)

Chapter	Description	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
	All products	2,567,753	2,401,649	2,117,260	2,176,805	1,964,082
62	Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted	347,896	344,149	314,819	309,652	315,991
61	Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted	421,964	388,490	322,044	316,554	292,319
16	Preparations of meat, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates	309,952	247,281	253,844	307,043	284,235
03	Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates	129,873	124,458	128,457	122,865	149,947
17	Sugars and sugar confectionery	253,070	214,795	229,172	263,358	144,565

Source: COMTRADE Statistics.

FDI Inflows (millions of USD)

Year	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
FDI Inflows	456	216	379	443	372

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2019

FDI Outflows (millions of USD)

Year	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
FDI Outflows	141.1	99.7	28.3	85.5	83.3

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2019

FDI Inward Stock (millions of USD)

Year	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
FDI Inward Stock	4,180	4,364	4,617	5,058	5,313

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2019

FDI Outward Stock (millions of USD)

Year	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
FDI Outward Stock	986	733	757	786	851

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2019

FDI Inflows Main Source Countries (in terms of number of projects)

India, South Africa, United States, France, UK, Bermuda, UAE, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Canada.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018

FDI Inflows Main Sectors (in terms of number of projects)

Financial Services, Business Services, Software & IT services, Communications, Hotels & Tourism, Real Estate, Coal, Oil and Natural Gas, Consumer Products, Renewable energy, and Electronic Components. 

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018

FDI Inflows Main Companies (in terms of number of projects)

Indian Oil (IOC), Thomas Cook Group, Apollo Hospitals Group, Equinoxe, Astonfield, Club Mediterranee, Investec, Bank of China, Kalawave, and Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals (MRPL). 

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018

Overall Doing Business Ranking

2020	13/190
2019	20/190

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Starting a Business

2020 Rank	20/190
Procedures (number)	4
Time (days)	4.5
Cost (% of income per capita*)	0.8
Paid-in Minimum Capital (% of income per capita*)	0.0

*GNI per capita used: USD 12,050
Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Paying Taxes

2020 Rank	5/190
Payments (number per year)	8.0
Time (hours per year)	152
Total Tax Rate (% of profit)	22.1
Profit Tax (% of profit)	10.3
Labor Tax and Contributions (% of profit)	8.1
Other Taxes (% of profit)	3.7

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Trading Across Borders

2020 Rank	72/190
Time to Export: Border Compliance (hours)	24
Cost to Export: Border Compliance (USD)	303
Time to Export: Documentary Compliance (hours)	9
Cost to Export: Documentary Compliance (USD)	128
Time to Import: Border Compliance (hours)	41
Cost to Import: Border Compliance (USD)	372
Time to Import: Documentary Compliance (hours)	9
Cost to Import: Documentary Compliance (USD)	166

Assumptions:
* It is assumed that shipment travels from a warehouse in the largest business city of the exporting economy to a warehouse in the largest business city of the importing economy.
* It is assumed that each economy imports a standardized shipment of 15 metric tons of containerized auto parts (HS 8708) from its natural import partner—the economy from which it imports the largest value (price times quantity) of auto parts. It is assumed that each economy exports the product of its comparative advantage (defined by the largest export value) to its natural export partner—the economy that is the largest purchaser of this product.
* A shipment is a unit of trade. Export shipments do not necessarily need to be containerized, while import shipments of auto parts are assumed to be containerized.
* Shipping cost based on weight is assumed to be greater than shipping cost based on volume.
* If government fees are determined by the value of the shipment, the value is assumed to be $50,000.
* The mode of transport is the one most widely used for the chosen export or import product and the trading partner, as is the seaport, airport or land border crossing.
* Time is measured in hours, and 1 day is 24 hours.
* Costs do not include tariffs.
Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Legal Framework

Investment Code – Investment Promotion Act 2000

Investment Incentives

Tax incentives

To boost manufacturing, the Schedule of Annual Allowances in the Income Tax Act, provides for accelerated depreciation in respect of capital expenditure made during the period 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2018, as follows: 

Capital Expenditure	Allowance
Industrial premises dedicated to manufacturing	30% of tax base value
Plant or machinery costing MUR 50,000 or less	100% of cost
Electronic and high-precision machinery (incl. computer hardware and software)	50% of cost
Plant and machinery (excluding passenger cars) by a manufacturing company	50% of cost
Scientific Research	50 % of cost

Source: Deloitte, Guide to Fiscal Information, Key Economies in Africa 2018.

Tax Incentives under the Smart City Scheme 

A company investing in the development of a smart city and/or its components is exempted from payment of: 

• Income Tax for a period of 8 years from the issue of the SCS Certificate provided that the income is derived from an activity pertaining to the development and sale, rental or management of immovable property other than an activity in respect of the supply of goods and services. 
• Value Added Tax paid on capital goods (building, structure, plant, machinery or equipment). 
• Customs duty on import or purchase of any dutiable goods, other than furniture, to be used in infrastructure works and construction of building within the Scheme 
• Land Transfer Tax and Registration Duty on transfer of land to a SPV provided that the transferor holds shares in the SPV equivalent to at least the value of the land transferred 
• Land Conversion Tax in respect of the land area earmarked for the development of non- residential components (office and business parks, ICT and innovation clusters, touristic, leisure and entertainment facilities including hotels and golf courses, renewable energy and green initiatives) 
• Morcellement Tax for the subdivision of land. 

Source: KPMG, Mauritius Fiscal Guide 2017/18