Mauritius - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Mauritius, it was named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder (governor) of the Dutch Republic, in 1598. The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
National symbols
Dodo bird, earring tree flower (Trochetia boutoniana).
The flag
The National flag of Mauritius has .
Info
The National Anthem
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music |
Info
More about the government of Mauritius
| Date of Independence | 12 March 1968 (from the UK) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968, 1992) |
| Legal system | civil system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968 |
| Amendment process | Proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | yes |
| Citizenship by descent only | yes |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Dharam GOKHOOL (since 7 December 2024) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 13 November 2024) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister |
| Election/appointment process | president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly |
| Most recent election date | 7 November 2019 |
| Election results | 2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote 2015: Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (independent) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote |
| Expected date of next election | 2024 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | National Assembly - Assemblée nationale |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Chamber name | National Assembly |
| Number of seats | 67 (62 directly elected; 4 appointed) |
| Electoral system | Plurality/majority |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 5 years |
| Most recent election date | 11/10/2024 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC) (60); Other (2) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 17.9% |
| Expected date of next election | October 2029 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67 |
| Subordinate courts | Lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gajjaluxmi MOOTOOSAMY (since 5 June 2025) |
| Chancery | 1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 244-1491 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 966-0983 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://mauritius-washington.govmu.org/Pages/index.aspx |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - also accredited to Seychelles |
| Embassy | 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Avenue, Port Louis |
| Mailing address | 2450 Port Louis Place, Washington, DC 20521-2450 |
| Telephone | [230] 202-4400 |
| FAX | [230] 208-9534 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://mu.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 2 (both cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Aapravasi Ghat; Le Morne Cultural Landscape |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Mauritius
Info
International organization participation
All Important Facts about Mauritius
Want to know more about Mauritius? Check all different factbooks for Mauritius below.
