Mauritius (The Republic of Mauritius)

Mauritius Republic of Mauritius
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	43rd best
Capital	Port Louis
Land Area	2 030km21
Location	Africa
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	1.3m2
Life Expectancy	73.56yrs (2017)3
GNI	$22 025 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MU, MUS, 4805
Internet Domain	.mu6
Currency	Rupee (MUR)7
Telephone	+2308

1. Overview
2. Mauritius National and Social Development
3. Mauritius's Demographics and Migration
4. Mauritius's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Mauritius's Health
6. Mauritius's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Mauritius's Modernity and Learning
8. Mauritius's Culture, Peace and Inequality
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#france #mauritius #netherlands #portugal #UK

“Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Prediction for your arrival: it's a sunny, 29°C in the air and water. Soon you're lazing on a white-sand beach with a tropical fruit juice in hand - the best cure for winter blues. Mark Twain once wrote that 'Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius'. For the most part, it's true: Mauritius is rightly famed for its sapphire waters, powder-white beaches and luxury resorts. But there´s so much more to Mauritius than the beach when it comes to attractions. There's bird-watching and hiking in the forested and mountainous interior or world-class diving and snorkelling. Or there are boat trips to near-perfect islets and excursions to fabulous botanical gardens and colonial plantation houses. Either way, the possibilities can seem endless. And the real Mauritius - a hot curry of different cultures, traffic and quiet fishing villages - is never far away.

Ultimately, Mauritius is the kind of place that rewards even the smallest attempts at exploration. So, if your biggest discovery is the beach butler service at your hotel, then you'll need to plan a second visit!”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Mauritius National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
60	Belarus	0.808
61	Panama	0.805
62	Malaysia	0.803
63=	Mauritius	0.802
63=	Georgia	0.802
63=	Serbia	0.802
66	Thailand	0.800
67	Albania	0.796
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
59	St Kitts & Nevis	$23 358
60	Bulgaria	$23 079
61	Guyana	$22 465
62	Mauritius	$22 025
63	Uruguay	$21 269
64	Argentina	$20 925
65	Montenegro	$20 839
66	Costa Rica	$19 974
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
40	Singapore	60.4
41	Lithuania	60.7
42	Croatia	61.8
43	Mauritius	62.6
44	Romania	65.7
45	Bulgaria	67.3
46	Argentina	67.4
47	Sri Lanka	68.2
	Africa Avg	119.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Mauritius's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #mauritius #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Mauritius's population is predicted to rise to 1.394 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.32. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₃

Mauritius was once forecast to have a much gloomier future after a population explosion in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the New York Times in 1962 saying that if things continued as they were the island would hit 2m by year 2000 and be "reduced to indescribable misery"₁₄. The surge didn't last; life expectancy in Mauritius improved by only +5.7yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Thankfully, increasing education and women's rights worked to keep the fertility rate at a sensible level, and hence, the population stabilized.

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
152	Estonia	1.3m
153	Equatorial Guinea	1.3m
154	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.3m
155	Mauritius	1.3m
156	Cyprus	1.2m
157	Swaziland	1.1m
158	Djibouti	1.0m
159	Fiji	0.9m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
77	Ecuador	73.7
78	Vietnam	73.6
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
83	Trinidad & Tobago	73.0
84	Colombia	72.8
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
115	Micronesia	2.67
116	Canada	1.33
117	Marshall Islands	2.67
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
122	Luxembourg	1.31
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
128	Sri Lanka	23.7
129	Moldova	24.7
130	China	25.3
131	Mauritius	25.9
132	Uruguay	26.8
133	Cyprus	26.9
134	Chile	27.0
135	Macedonia	27.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
117	Ecuador	2.4%
118	Paraguay	2.4%
119	Uruguay	2.3%
120	Mauritius	2.3%
121	Benin	2.3%
122	S. Korea	2.3%
123	Cameroon	2.2%
124	Bulgaria	2.2%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
58	Kyrgyzstan	11.2%
59	Tajikistan	11.2%
60	Cuba	10.9%
61	Mauritius	10.9%
62	Greece	10.8%
63	Mexico	10.7%
64	Andorra	10.7%
65	Liberia	10.5%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Mauritius's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women

Compared to Africa (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Mauritius	63.7
2	S. Africa	64.3
3	Cape Verde	68.0
4	Seychelles	73.8
5	Namibia	77.7
6	Senegal	84.7
7	Botswana	86.8
8	Ghana	92.3
9	Tunisia	95.2
10	Lesotho	100.4
11	Sao Tome & Principe	101.2
12	Burkina Faso	101.3
13	Mali	101.6
	Africa Avg	110.04
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
50	Andorra	61.5
51	Ukraine	63.6
52	Serbia	63.7
53	Mauritius	63.7
54	Jamaica	64.1
55	S. Africa	64.3
56	Panama	64.4
57	Montenegro	65.3
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₂₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan₂₀.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₀, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia₂₀.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Press Freedom Higher is better21
Pos.		202521
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
47	Belize	68.32
48	Italy	68.01
49	Mauritania	67.52
50	Mauritius	67.31
51	Ghana	67.13
52	Panama	66.75
53	Liberia	66.61
54	Romania	66.42
	Africa Avg	52.30
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Slavery Lower is better22
Pos.		2018 % Victims22
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
4	Australia	0.06
5=	New Zealand	0.06
6	Chile	0.08
7=	Mauritius	0.10
7=	Uruguay	0.10
9	Costa Rica	0.13
10=	USA	0.13
10=	Argentina	0.13
12	Hong Kong	0.14
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better23
Pos.		2014 Rank23
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
31	France	31
32	Japan	32
33	Cyprus	33
34	Mauritius	34
35	S. Korea	35
36	Spain	36
37	Hungary	37
38	Costa Rica	38
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
51	Jamaica	2.0
52=	Guyana	2.0
52=	USA	2.0
52=	Mauritius	2.0
52=	Argentina	2.0
52=	Greece	2.0
52=	Antigua & Barbuda	2.0
52=	Sao Tome & Principe	2.0
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better24
Pos.		2009 Treaties24
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
115	Jamaica	14
116=	Jordan	14
116=	China	14
116=	Mauritius	14
116=	Botswana	14
116=	Madagascar	14
116=	Syria	14
116=	Sudan	14
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better25
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty25
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
44	Sri Lanka	6.91
45	Syria	7.02
46	Uganda	7.03
47	Mauritius	7.09
48	Australia	7.31
49	Brazil	7.36
50	Guinea	7.43
51	Finland	7.49
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality:

The 1950s saw a late rush of 43 countries, including Mauritius and many developing nations, move to cease preventing women from voting. Mauritius has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Gender Inequality Lower is better26
Pos.		202226
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
83	Jamaica	0.35
84	Mexico	0.36
85	El Salvador	0.37
86	Mauritius	0.37
87	Peru	0.37
88	Ecuador	0.37
89	Sri Lanka	0.37
90	Lebanon	0.38
	Africa Avg	0.53
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
107=	Cambodia	1955
108	Mali	1956
109=	Benin	1956
109=	Mauritius	1956
109=	Somalia	1956
109=	Gabon	1956
109=	Egypt	1956
109=	Comoros	1956
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

Anti-Semite Opinions Lower is better27
Pos.		2014 %27
1	Laos	0
2	Philippines	3
3	Sweden	4
	...
73=	Dominican Rep.	41
74	Serbia	42
75=	Bulgaria	44
75=	Mauritius	44
77	Poland	45
78	Indonesia	48
79	Panama	52
80=	Senegal	53
	Africa Avg	45.9
	World Avg	36.8
q=101.

LGBT Equality Higher is better28
Pos.		2017 Score28
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
138=	Sri Lanka	-10
138=	Antigua & Barbuda	-10
138=	St Vincent & Grenadines	-10
138=	Mauritius	-10
138=	Myanmar (Burma)	-10
138=	Barbados	-10
144	Ethiopia	-14
145=	Eritrea	-14
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better29
Pos.		202129
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
77	Latvia	2.8
78=	Monaco	2.8
78=	Jamaica	2.8
78=	Mauritius	2.8
78=	Gambia	2.8
78=	Montenegro	2.8
78=	Argentina	2.8
78=	UK	2.8
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Mauritius's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mauritius #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to Africa (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Tunisia	69.2
2	Mauritius	69.2
3	Seychelles	84.8
4	Morocco	91.9
5	Libya	98.0
6	Algeria	100.7
7	Cape Verde	110.5
8	S. Africa	115.9
9	Egypt	117.0
10	Djibouti	122.6
11	Botswana	129.6
12	Eritrea	130.2
13	Lesotho	131.8
	Africa Avg	111.13
q=54.

Health (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
54=	Kuwait	66.8
55	Estonia	67.8
56	Tunisia	69.2
57	Mauritius	69.2
58	Bahrain	69.3
59	Israel	70.2
60	Macedonia	70.4
61	Qatar	70.7
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₁.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Mauritius does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Mauritius does better than average in its immunizations take-up₃₂ (one of the best in Africa), its suicide rate₃₃ (but the worst in Africa), its smoking rate₃₄, its alcohol consumption rate₃₅, its adolescent birth rate₃₆ and in its average life expectancy₁₁. But, there's bad news too. Mauritius does worse than average in its fertility rate₁₅ (still low for Africa) and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₇. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in Mauritius improved by +5.7yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Mauritius's peak fertility rate was 6.18 in 1961.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
77	Ecuador	73.7
78	Vietnam	73.6
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
83	Trinidad & Tobago	73.0
84	Colombia	72.8
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2016 Per Capita35
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
59=	Central African Rep.	3.3
59=	Tajikistan	3.3
61	Kenya	3.4
62	Mauritius	3.6
63	Malawi	3.7
64=	El Salvador	3.8
64=	Gambia	3.8
64=	Israel	3.8
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
115	Micronesia	2.67
116	Canada	1.33
117	Marshall Islands	2.67
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
122	Luxembourg	1.31
	Africa Avg	3.97
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better34
Pos.		201434
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
52	Dominican Rep.	245
53	Togo	250
54	Kenya	257
55	Mauritius	261
56	El Salvador	280
57	Comoros	289
58	Congo, (Brazzaville)	294
59	Bolivia	299
	Africa Avg	340
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate33
Pos.		2013 Per 100k33
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
35	Costa Rica	12.1
36	Italy	12.8
37	Macedonia	13.5
38	Mauritius	13.7
39	UK	13.9
40	Ecuador	14.1
41	Spain	15.3
42	Argentina	15.6
	Africa Avg	6.13
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
123	Laos	123
124	Antigua & Barbuda	124
125	Burkina Faso	125
126	Mauritius	126
127	Congo, DR	127
128	Gabon	128
129	Ivory Coast	129
130	Mongolia	130
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better38
Pos.		2016 %38
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
51	Gambia	31.9
52	Ghana	32.0
53=	China	32.3
53=	Mauritius	32.3
55	N. Korea	32.4
56	Thailand	32.6
57	Cameroon	33.6
58	Mauritania	34.4
	Africa Avg	33.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better36
Pos.		2022 Per 100036
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
73	Hungary	21.9
74	Djibouti	22.7
75	Chile	22.8
76	Mauritius	24.0
77	Jordan	24.9
78	Mongolia	25.0
79	Bahamas	25.1
80	Morocco	25.5
	Africa Avg	84.6
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better32
Pos.		2015 Avg %32
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
18	Cuba	97.9
19	Belgium	97.8
20	Thailand	97.8
21=	Mauritius	97.6
21=	Fiji	97.6
23	Kuwait	97.5
24	Morocco	97.5
25=	Monaco	97.3
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Mauritius's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Africa (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Morocco	46.5
2	Burundi	47.8
3	Mali	51.0
4	Madagascar	52.4
5	Nigeria	55.8
6	Rwanda	56.4
7	Uganda	57.8
8	Kenya	57.9
9	Mauritius	58.1
10	Ghana	58.6
11	Tunisia	60.1
12	Niger	61.3
13	Tanzania	61.6
	Africa Avg	80.07
q=53.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
20	Uganda	57.8
21	Kenya	57.9
22	Portugal	58.0
23	Mauritius	58.1
24	Germany	58.2
25	Ghana	58.6
26	Thailand	59.5
27	Spain	59.5
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

With respect to its responsibility towards the environment, Mauritius comes 23rd in the world. This rank is derived from 5 data sets. Mauritius does better than average when it comes to its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, energy to GDP efficiency₄₀ (but bad for Africa) and in its environmental performance₄₁. Mauritius does not succeed in everything, however. Mauritius does worse than average for reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₂ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₃.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better43
Pos.		Total43
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
181	Honduras	-6.3%
182	Equatorial Guinea	-6.5%
183	N. Korea	-6.7%
184	Mauritius	-7.5%
185	Liberia	-7.5%
186	Bolivia	-7.9%
187	Singapore	-7.9%
188	Guinea-Bissau	-8.0%
	Africa Avg	-8.7%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better41
Pos.		201841
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
87	Ecuador	57.4
88	Algeria	57.2
89	Cape Verde	56.9
90	Mauritius	56.6
91	St Lucia	56.2
92	Bolivia	56.0
93	Barbados	55.8
94	Georgia	55.7
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better40
Pos.		2022 Avg40
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
77	Poland	1.01
78	Montenegro	1.03
79	Lesotho	1.03
80	Mauritius	1.03
81	Macedonia	1.04
82	Austria	1.04
83	Japan	1.05
84	Benin	1.06
	Africa Avg	0.83
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
20	Armenia	72%
21	Montenegro	72%
22	Peru	72%
23	Mauritius	72%
24	Brazil	71%
25	Chile	71%
26	S. Africa	71%
27	Cyprus	71%
	Africa Avg	56.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Mauritius is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change; it was one of 18 countries who enacted Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in its first year (1975) and one of 30 who signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on its first day; and also, signed the Paris Agreement within the first few months in Q2 2016.

Meat Consumption Lower is better42
Pos.		2021 kg42
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
93	Vietnam	52.6
94	Dominican Rep.	53.5
95	Peru	54.0
96	Mauritius	54.2
97	Saudi Arabia	55.1
98	Zimbabwe	56.0
99	Belize	56.6
100	Japan	57.2
	Africa Avg	24.9
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Mauritius's Modernity and Learning

#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #education #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #modernity #morals #peace #politics #research #science #social_development #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2020)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	S. Africa	56.9
2	Tunisia	70.8
3=	Mauritius	79.6
4	Seychelles	80.1
5	Egypt	80.5
6	Libya	82.0
7	Kenya	96.4
8	Botswana	96.5
9	Morocco	97.9
10	Algeria	100.2
11	Gabon	108.2
12	Uganda	109.8
13	Ghana	110.3
	Africa Avg	120.19
q=53.

Modernity & Learning (2020)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
88	Sri Lanka	79.2
89	Bolivia	79.5
90=	Antigua & Barbuda	79.6
90=	Mauritius	79.6
92	St Vincent & Grenadines	80.0
93	Seychelles	80.1
94	Egypt	80.5
95	Libya	82.0
	World Avg	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₄₅. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₄₅. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₆.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₄₇

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₅, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₅.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2948
2	Israel	4.1148
3	Japan	3.5848
	...
92	Burkina Faso	0.2049
93	Vietnam	0.1950
94=	Panama	0.1850
94=	Mauritius	0.1851
96	Oman	0.1752
97=	Kazakhstan	0.1752
98	Bolivia	0.1649
99=	Kyrgyzstan	0.1650
	Africa Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better53
Pos.		201853
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
79	Vietnam	69.4%
80	Venezuela	69.2%
81	Qatar	67.5%
82	Mauritius	66.9%
83	Oman	66.4%
84	Jamaica	66.3%
85	Egypt	65.3%
86	Argentina	64.8%
	Africa Avg	34.4%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better54
Pos.		2021 Years54
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
54	Kuwait	15.3
55	Japan	15.2
56	Liechtenstein	15.2
57	Mauritius	15.2
58	Belarus	15.2
59	Croatia	15.1
60	Montenegro	15.1
61	Hungary	15.0
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
80	Kyrgyzstan	80
81	Saudi Arabia	81
82	Uganda	82
83	Mauritius	83
84	UAE	84
85	Tonga	85
86	Georgia	86
87	Benin	87
	Africa Avg	106.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better55
Pos.		201655
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
114	Jamaica	43%
115	Ecuador	43%
116	Thailand	43%
117=	Mauritius	43%
117=	Cape Verde	43%
119	Suriname	42%
120	Bolivia	41%
121	Peru	41%
	Africa Avg	18.4%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better56
Pos.		2017 Ratio56
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
85=	Paraguay	0.0
85=	Chile	0.0
85=	US Virgin Islands	0.0
85=	Mauritius	0.0
89	Botswana	0.0
90=	El Salvador	0.0
90=	Kenya	0.0
90=	Cameroon	0.0
	Africa Avg	0.04
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better57
Pos.		202457
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
74	Georgia	43.4%
75	Dominican Rep.	43.4%
76	Ecuador	43.3%
77	Mauritius	42.9%
78	Jordan	42.6%
79	Egypt	42.5%
80	Panama	41.6%
81	Paraguay	41.2%
	Africa Avg	32.3%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Mauritius's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #charitability #charity #corruption #culture #economics #equality #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #morals #peace #politics #social_development

Compared to Africa (2020)58
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank58
1	Mauritius	48.3
2	Sao Tome & Principe	67.7
3	Tunisia	74.9
4	Ghana	75.4
5	Seychelles	76.7
6	Morocco	77.0
7	Senegal	79.9
8	Botswana	83.3
9	S. Africa	84.8
10	Algeria	86.2
11	Namibia	87.3
12	Zambia	88.5
13	Cape Verde	90.8
	Africa Avg	101.84
q=53.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2020)58
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank58
1	Denmark	11.2
2	Norway	13.9
3	Netherlands	14.4
	...
32	Costa Rica	47.3
33	Cyprus	47.4
34	Portugal	48.2
35	Mauritius	48.3
36	Italy	48.6
37	Slovakia	48.8
38	Bhutan	49.2
39	S. Korea	49.5
	World Avg	78.12
q=180.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 22 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, Inequality in Life Expectancy, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

National Culture:

World Giving Index Higher is better59
Pos.		2022 %59
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
81=	Croatia	37.0
81=	Moldova	37.0
81=	Israel	37.0
81=	Mauritius	37.0
81=	Lithuania	37.0
86	Panama	36.0
87=	El Salvador	36.0
87=	Saudi Arabia	36.0
	Africa Avg	38.2
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better60
Pos.		2022 Points60
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
55	Malta	51.0
56=	Saudi Arabia	51.0
57	Croatia	50.0
58=	Mauritius	50.0
59	Namibia	49.0
60	Vanuatu	48.0
61=	Jordan	47.0
61=	Malaysia	47.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better61
Pos.		2024 Score61
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
75	Kyrgyzstan	5.9
76	Dominican Rep.	5.8
77	Mongolia	5.8
78	Mauritius	5.8
79	Libya	5.8
80	Moldova	5.8
81	Greece	5.8
82	Venezuela	5.7
	Africa Avg	4.42
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
24	St Lucia	24
25	Canada	25
26	Italy	26
27	Mauritius	27
28	Malta	28
29	Singapore	29
30	Spain	30
31	Romania	31
	Africa Avg	117.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
22	Moldova	22
23	Hungary	23
24	Jordan	24
25	Mauritius	25
26	Zimbabwe	26
27	Canada	27
28	Trinidad & Tobago	28
29	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	29
	Africa Avg	96.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better62
Pos.		2023 Score62
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
20	Belgium	1.52
21	Qatar	1.52
22	Australia	1.53
23	Mauritius	1.55
24	Norway	1.55
25	Estonia	1.56
26	Slovakia	1.58
27	Latvia	1.58
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
53	France	53
54	Australia	54
55	Italy	55
56	Mauritius	56
57	Zambia	57
58	Romania	58
59	Vietnam	59
60	Malawi	60
	Africa Avg	83.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
31	Greece	31
32	Bulgaria	32
33	S. Korea	33
34	Mauritius	34
35	Bosnia & Herzegovina	35
36	Romania	36
37	Uruguay	37
38	Liberia	38
	Africa Avg	104.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better63
Pos.		201963
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
73	Turkey	9.00
74	Libya	9.10
75	Iran	9.20
76	Mauritius	9.40
77=	Seychelles	9.60
77=	Moldova	9.60
79	Jamaica	10.00
80=	Samoa	10.00
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better64
Pos.		2023 %64
1	Slovakia	24.1%65
2	Slovenia	24.3%65
3	Belarus	24.4%66
	...
95	Senegal	36.2%65
96=	Lithuania	36.7%65
96=	Yemen	36.7%67
98	Mauritius	36.8%68
99	Dominican Rep.	37.0%69
100	Solomon Islands	37.1%70
101=	Chad	37.4%69
101=	Burkina Faso	37.4%65
	Africa Avg	40.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Mauritius - only for 3 years between 1980 and 2019.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₇₁:

Christian	25.3%
Muslim	16.7%
Hindu	56.4%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.7%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.6%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)₇₂.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems