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Mauritius
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
17.2% or about 35,000 ha of Mauritius is forested, according to FAO. Mauritius had 15,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Mauritius lost an average of 200 ha or 0.51% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Mauritius lost 10.3% of its forest cover, or around 4,000 ha.
Mauritius's forests contain 2 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
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
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Mauritius
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Mauritius: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 203 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 35 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 17 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 0 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 0 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 12 |
| Percent other wooded land | 6 |
Mauritius: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 0 | 0 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 20 | 58 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 15 | 42 |
Mauritius: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 39 | 39 | 35 | 35 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| n.s. | -1 | n.s. | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.03 | -2.05 | 0.06 | |
Mauritius: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 24 | 24 | 20 | 20 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0.0 | 0 | -1.67
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Mauritius: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| - | - | - | |
Mauritius: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.07 | -0.41 | 0.27 | |
Mauritius: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 30 | 42 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Mauritius: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 58 | 42 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | 0 |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mauritius: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 3 | 85 | 1 | 2 | 62 |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| n.s. | 28 | | | |
Mauritius: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 65 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | 0 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Mauritius: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| n.s. | 100 |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Mauritius: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 16 | 11 | 10 | 100 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 14 | 12 | 7 | 100 |
Mauritius: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| 1 | n.s. | 25 | 26 | 1 |
Mauritius: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| n.s. | 1 | 1 |
Mauritius: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (2006)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (2006) In formulation
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (1983)
Sub-national forest law: No
Mauritius: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 225 | 3 | 197 | 4 | 213 | 6 |
Mauritius: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| 1214 | 6279 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6279 | 0
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Mauritius: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Mauritius: Environment
| Environment - current issues | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs | | Environment - international agreements | party 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 hazards | cyclones (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 resources | arable 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 - products | sugarcane, 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.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Port Louis | Mauritius | 140600 | 564000 |
Mauritius: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 348,200 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 462,400 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 2,254 km
paved: 2,254 km (including 75 km of expressways) (2003) |
Mauritius: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 72.38 years
male: 68.4 years
female: 76.41 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 15.03 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 0.1% (2001 est.) |
Mauritius
: References & Data Sources
 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 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 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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