| * What's your main industry?* Although the secondary and services sector are much present in Mauritius, the economy still depends on the agricultural sector. By sector as a percentage of GDP, in 2000: Primary 6.7%, Secondary 30.7 %, Tertiary 65.9%. It doesn�t mean that we have a larger tertiary sector, just that the tertiary sector generated more revenue. Sugar Cane is the island�s main agricultural revenue. Sugar, electricity [from bagasse I think], spirits are made from sugar cane which was introduced on the island by the Dutch a long long time ago [and I studied that a long long time ago too, thus forgetting the date!] We also cultivate tea and some fruits, flowers and vegetables. Tea and sugar are exported towards Europe mostly. We also have a large textile industry. How many times have we heard about X who went to UK and shopped for clothes there only to find �Made in Mauritius� on it! Seriously, our exports are of extremely good quality. Even a single glitch is not allowed. Those clothes produced for export are not available in Mauritius anyway L We export towards Europe, Australia and USA mostly if I�m right. Tourism is also a predominant industry, being a tropical paradise. I don�t remember the exact figures [see below, I found a table!] but we do have a lot of tourists, mainly from Europe [esp France and UK], South Africa. We�ve got a lot of 5 star hotels where one glass of coke is sold for Rs 61.50 when a one litre bottle costs Rs 16. [no, I did not inverse the numbers] and where Mauritians cannot set foot, beautiful beaches, a hybrid population, numerous places of interests like museums, hiking areas, waterfalls. Tourist arrivals 656, 500 France 198400 Germany 52900 Italy 39000 Reunion 86900 Republic of South Africa 48700 United Kingdom 74500 Other countries 156100 The local airline, Air Mauritius, has direct flights to England, France, Dubai, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, the neighbouring islands and countries, Singapore [I think!]. British Airways, Air France and Air Austral also serve the country. Soon we will also have the UAE [United Arab Emirates] airline. I�m pretty sure I won�t be using this airline, lol. * What's the legal age for alcohol and cigarettes?* 18. It�s 18 for everything actually, driving, smoking, drinking, clubbing. Except of course like someone said �happy birthday, you�re finally 18 � that is you can now legally do all the things that you had been doing since you were 15!� It�s even easier to get into clubs etc in Mauritius. Overseas, sometimes you have to have a fake id or know people etc. In Mauritius you are never asked your age or questioned when you ask for a drink or a cigarette or when you go nightclubbing. We have a very poor law and order unit. * Do Mauritian kids grow up fast?* Some do and some don�t. My sister was 1m70 by the time she turned 13 and she�s taller than me. But Europeans are usually taller and bigger than us, haha. There are too many poor persons and anyway, take the Hindus for example, they are always fasting, all year round. Mauritius eating habits etc are different Next � Back to island |