STATISTICS: Mauritius


Mauritius

18.2% —or about 37,000 hectares—of Mauritius is forested. Of this, none is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Mauritius lost an average of 100 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 0.26%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change increased by 105.3% to 0.53% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Mauritius lost 5.1% of its forest cover, or around 2,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Mauritius lost 9.8% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Mauritius has some 188 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 29.3% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 11.2% are threatened. Mauritius is home to at least 750 species of vascular plants, of which 43.3% are endemic. 29.8% of Mauritius is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

Mauritius Environmental profile






Books

Mauritius: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)203,000
Total Forest Area (ha)37,000
Percent Forest Cover18.23%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)-
Primary Forest, % total forest0.00%
Primary Forest, % total land0.00%
Other wooded land (ha)15,000


Mauritius : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)100%
Subtropical (% forest area)0%
Temperate (% forest area)0%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


Mauritius: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)-0.0%
Modified natural (ha | %)22,00059.5%
Semi-natural (ha | %)--
Production plantation (ha | %)11,00029.7%
Production plantation (ha | %)4,00010.8%


Mauritius: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)39,000
Forest 2000 (ha)38,000
Forest 2005 (ha)37,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(100)-0.26%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(200)-0.53%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(2,000)-5.13%
Change in rate (%)105.26%
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)-
Primary 2000 (ha)-
Primary 2005 (ha)-
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)18,000
Other 2000 (ha)17,000
Other 2005 (ha)15,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(100)-0.56%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(400)-2.35%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(3,000)-16.67%
Change in rate (%)323.53%
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)16,000
Other 2000 (ha)15,000
Other 2005 (ha)15,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(100)-0.63%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(1,000)-6.25%
Change in rate (%)-100.00%
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)41,000
Other 2000 (ha)40,000
Other 2005 (ha)37,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(100)-0.24%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(600)-1.50%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(4,000)-9.76%
Change in rate (%)515.00%


Mauritius: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)0
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)0.00%


Mauritius: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)52.6%
Private (%)47.4%
Other (%)0.0%
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)11.8%
Private (%)88.2%
Other (%)0.0%
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)29.7%
Protection (%)43.2%
Conservation (%)21.6%
Social Services (%)8.1%
Multiple Services (%)-
None of Unknown (%)-


Mauritius: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)0.00%
Insects (ha)-
Diseases (ha)-
Other (ha)0.00%


Mauritius: Protected areas
1
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20051
World Heritage sites, 20040
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land29.8%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land3.24%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 20040.10%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20040.00%


Mauritius: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species2
endemic species0
threatened species0
Birds
total species137
endemic species42
threatened species13
Mammals
total species14
endemic species1
threatened species3
Reptiles
total species35
endemic species12
threatened species5
Wildlife diversity
total species188
endemic species55
threatened species21


Mauritius: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
58.30%
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
62.80%
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species194
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered41
Endangered14
Vulnerable9
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total750
Number endemic325
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened87


Mauritius: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)6
Below-ground biomass (M t)2
Dead wood (M t)1
Total (M t)9
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)3
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)1
Carbon in dead wood (M t)1
Carbon in litter (M t)-
Soil carbon (M t)-
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-2000-6
2000-2005-18
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-20000.06
2000-2005-0.04
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)8
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)6
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)14
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)n.s.
Plant products 2005
Food (t)11,000
Fodder (t)308,000
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)96
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)160
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)8,000
Hides, skins and trophies (units)350
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)93
Bush meat (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)400
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)$137,000
Wood fuel (US$)$7,000
Non-wood forest products (US$)$26,149,000
Total value (US$)$26,293,000
Total value ($USD/ha)$711
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employed3,000


Mauritius : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production9
Imports0
Exports0
Consumption9
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production8
Imports7
Exports0
Consumption15
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production3
Imports43
Exports0
Consumption46
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production0
Imports51
Exports0
Consumption51
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports1
Exports-
Consumption1
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports39
Exports2
Consumption37
Mauritius: Environment
Environment - current issueswater pollution, degradation of coral reefs
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Natural hazardscyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards


Mauritius: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 47.78% (2001)
Natural resourcesarable land, fish


Mauritius: Economy
Economy - overview:Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
GDP - per capita$13,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)3.8% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productssugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 6.1%, industry: 29.9%, services: 64% (2005 est.)
Industries food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
Economic aid - recipient$42 million (1997)
Debt - external$2.958 billion (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line (%)10% (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)


Mauritius: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)1,230,602
Population growth rate (%) (2005)0.84%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)606.2
Percent rural (2003)56.7%
Median age (years)total: 30.5 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)1.96 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%


Largest Cities in Mauritius

Cities and urban areas in Mauritius with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
Port LouisMauritius140600564000




 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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