| 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 of the order of 5% to 6%.
The government's development strategy centres on foreign investment.
Mauritius has attracted more than 15,000 offshore entities, many
aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the
banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. The economy in
2000 grew by 8.9% and the Gross National Income per capita at market
prices reached 101,948 rupees. Unemployment rate for 2000 is estimated
at about 8.0% while inflation stood at 4.2%.
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