Demographics_of_Mauritius

Demographics of Mauritius

Demographics of Mauritius

Demographics of Mauritius

Mauritian society incorporates several ethnic and multi-ethnic groups. A majority of the republic's[1] residents are descendants of people from India. Mauritius also comprises migrants from continental Africa, China, France, and the East African island of Madagascar. As of 2023, Mauritius now has the highest population density in Africa.[2]

Quick Facts Population, Density ...

Overview of 2022 Census

Mauritius has a population of 1,235,260 (608,090 males, 627,170 females) according to the 2022 Census.[3] The population on the island of Mauritius[4] was 1,191,280 (586,590 males and 604,690 females); Rodrigues island was 43,650 (21,330 males and 22,320 females); and Agalega island was 330 (170 males and 160 females).[5][6][7]

The average age of the population was 38 years;[8][9][10] the proportion of children aged under 15 years decreased from 20.7% (in 2011) to 15.4% (in 2022); and the number of adults aged 60 years and over increased from 12.7% (2011) to 18.7% (2022).[11]

Ethnic groups

Indo-Mauritians are roughly sixty-six percent of the population. The Indo-Mauritian population consists of Hindu, Muslim and Christian descendants of Indian laborers.

Mauritian Creoles (descendants of Africans) are twenty-eight percent of the population.[12] Today, a significant proportion of Creoles are of African descent with varying amounts of French and Indian ancestry. The creole community also includes the country's ‘Metisse’ or mixed-race communities which consist of people with any admixture of the island's other groups.[13] Rodrigues and Chagossians are usually incorporated within the Creole ethnic group.

Along with the French European community, there are about three percent of British expatriates or people of British descent in Mauritius.[14][15]

Sino-Mauritians from the Hakka and other Chinese sub-ethnic/linguistic groups make up around three percent of Mauritian society.[16]

While the government officially groups Mauritians into four ethnic groups – Hindus, Muslims, Chinese, and General Population – the general population includes all who do not practice the Hindu or Muslim religion and are not Chinese by ethnicity. Hence the general population is the Christian community, which includes Creoles, mixed-race people, white people, and those who have converted to Christianity.

Small groups of foreign students from Europe or the Indian Ocean region are also present. Recent years have seen a steady flow of foreign workers into the textile industry (primarily Chinese women), the construction industry (primarily Indian workers), and harbor-related activities (primarily Taiwanese men).

Population

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[17][18] the total population was 1,298,915 in 2021, compared to 479,000 in 1950.[19]

The proportion of the population aged under 15 was 21.9% in 2010.[19] 71.2% were between 15 and 65 years of age, with 6.9% being 65 years or older.[19]

More information Total population, Population aged 0–14 (%) ...

Structure of the population

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2012) (Based on the results of the 2011 Population Census.) :

More information Age Group, Male ...

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 04.VII.2019) (Excludes the islands of St. Brandon and Agalega.):[20]

More information Age Group, Male ...

Vital statistics

Mauritius has an estimated population of 1,283,415 on 31 December 2010. 14,701 children were born in 2011 (birth rate 11.4 per 1,000).[21]

The table below presents the population development of Mauritius since 1900. The figure up to 1945 are for the island of Mauritius only. As of 1946 the island of Rodrigues is included.

Figures from Statistics Mauritius[22] and United Nations Demographic Yearbook.[23]

More information Average population (x 1000), Live births ...

Current vital statistics[24]

More information Period, Live births ...

Life expectancy

More information Period, Life expectancy in Years ...

Language

Further information: Languages of Mauritius
Picture from the 1950s of the Central Market, Port Louis, Mauritius.

The main languages spoken in Mauritius are English, French, Mauritian Creole, and Bhojpuri.[26] There is no official language. English is the official language of the parliament, though French is also permitted. However, the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole and the newspapers and television programs are usually in French.[27] The Mauritian currency features the Latin, Tamil and Devanagari scripts.

Mauritian Creole, which is spoken by 90 percent of the population, is considered to be the native language of the country and is used most often in informal settings.[26] It was developed in the 18th century by African slaves who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other as well as with their French masters, who did not understand the various African languages. The pidgin evolved with later generations to become a casual language.[28]

Mauritian Creole is a French-based creole.

Religion

Further information: Religion in Mauritius

In 2015, the population was estimated to be 48.5% Hindu, 27.2% Roman Catholic, 17.5% Muslim, 3.9% No religion and unspecified, 2.5% Protestantism, 0.4% Other religions.[29]

More than 90% of the Sino-Mauritian community are Christian; the remainder are largely Buddhist.[16]

Migrants

According to the United Nations, there were 28,713 international migrants in Mauritius in 2017.

Their most common countries of origin were as follows:

More information International migrants in Mauritius in 2017 ...

Other demographic statistics

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.[30]

  • One birth every 41 minutes
  • One death every 46 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 360 minutes

The following demographics are from the CIA World Factbook[31] unless otherwise indicated.

Population

1,308,223 (2022 est.)

Age structure

0–14 years: 19.44% (male 137,010/female 131,113)
15–24 years: 14.06% (male 98,480/female 95,472)
25–54 years: 43.11% (male 297,527/female 297,158)
55–64 years: 12.31% (male 80,952/female 88,785)
65 years and over: 11.08% (2020 est.) (male 63,230/female 89,638)

Median age

total: 36.3 years. Country comparison to the world: 80th
male: 35 years
female: 37.6 years (2020 est.)

Birth rate

9.86 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 190th

Death rate

8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 64th

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 218th

Population growth rate

0.1% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 188th

Contraceptive prevalence rate

63.8% (2014)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 92nd

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.86 years. Country comparison to the world: 131st
male: 72.04 years
female: 77.88 years (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 41.6 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 14.1 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.1 (2015 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 40.8% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020–25 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mauritians of Indian Origin 65.8%, Mauritians of African Origin 27.7%, Mauritians of Chinese Origin 3%, Mauritians of French Origin 2%

Languages

As mother tongue: Mauritian Creole 86.8%, Bhojpuri 5%, French 4.1%, Two languages 1.4%, Other 2.6%, Unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

As ancestral languages: Bhojpuri 29.5%, Urdu 17.3%, Tamil 10%, Chinese 3%, Telugu 2%, Marathi 2%

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2020) Country comparison to the world: 80th

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2016 est.)

total population: 91.3%
male: 93.4%
female: 89.4% (2018)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2017)
male: 14 years (2017)
female: 16 years (2017)

Unemployment, youth ages 15–24

total: 21.8%
male: 16.8%
female: 28.4% (2019 est.)

References

  1. [1]
    Republic of Mauritius (govmu.org)
  2. [2]
    "Africa: population density by country 2023". Statista. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
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    statsmauritius.govmu.org/Pages/Censuses and Surveys/Census/census_2022.aspx
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    statsmauritius.govmu.org/Pages/Censuses and Surveys/Census/2022_Population_census_Main_results.aspx
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    "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". Cia.gov. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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    Common Denominators: Ethnicity nationalism and the politics of compromise in Mauritius
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    "BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Brits Abroad". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
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    "Mauritius – UK Relations".
  16. [16]
    Eriksen 1998, p. 82
  17. [17]
    "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  18. [18]
    "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
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    "World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision". 6 May 2011. Archived from the original on 6 May 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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    "United Nations Statistics Division – Demographic and Social Statistics". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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    "Population and vital statistics: Republic of Mauritius, year 2010" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  22. [22]
    "Statistics Mauritius : Population and Vital Statistics". Statsmauritius.govmu.org. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  23. [23]
    "United Nations Statistics Division – Demographic and Social Statistics". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  24. [24]
    "Statistics Mauritius. Population and Vital Statistics". statsmauritius.govmu.org. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  25. [25]
    "World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  26. [26]
    "English Usage in Mauritius". Chass.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  27. [27]
    "Coexistence International at Brandeis University" (PDF). Brandeis.edu. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  28. [28]
    "Mauritius". M2002.thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  29. [29]
    "Mauritius, Religion And Social Profile | National Profiles | International Data | TheARDA". www.thearda.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  30. [30]
    "Mauritius Population 2022", World Population Review
  31. [31]
    Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from "Mauritius". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2022. (Archived 2018 edition.)

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