Mauritius

The main pillars of the Mauritian economy are Financial Services, Manufacturing - essentially textile products for Europe and the United States - Tourism, Information & Communication Technology and Agriculture - mainly sugar cane production.

Already renowned as a premier holiday destination, with a maritime sub-tropical climate averaging 27°C in summer and 22°C in winter, Mauritius has, in the past decade, quickly matured into a respected International Financial Services Centre, having adopted best international practice in laws and regulations. The sound regulatory practices and conducive business environment which have emerged, have earned Mauritius a reputation as a reliable jurisdiction, as evidenced by the growing network of double taxation treaties based on the OECD model; our treaty partners include India, China, Singapore, South Africa, Luxembourg, France and UK, amongst others. Investors' confidence in our financial services is evidenced by the growing number of enterprises registered in Mauritius.

Mauritius enjoys a hybrid legal system. While private law is largely based on the French Napoleonic Code, public and administrative laws draw essentially from English Common Law. Although Mauritius is a Republic, the country still remains a member of the Commonwealth and the right appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is preserved.

Mauritius has excellent international telecommunications links and is easily accessible by frequent scheduled flights from major cities in Europe, Africa and Australia.

In addition, the island is home to a well-educated and skilled population consisting of descendants of immigrants from India, Africa, Europe and China. Estimated at 1.2 million, most people in Mauritius are bilingual and are equally fluent in English and French. English is the official language, but French and Creole are widely spoken while a number of oriental languages such as Hindi and Mandarin also form part of the linguistic blend.