MAURITIUS
A. THE COUNTRY
The Republic of Mauritius, in Africa, is one larger and three smaller
islands east of Madagascar in the western Indian Ocean. Mauritius also
claims the Chagos archipelago, including Diego Garcia, which comprise
the British Indian Ocean territory. It has the only African
parliamentary democracy to have uninterrupted stability since 1969.
Party politics are dominated by ethnic and religious divisions.
Tourism, offshore banking and the use of Mauritius as a tax haven have
become the main revenue generators, with a decrease in the sugar and
textile industries.
B. THE PEOPLE
The population is ~2,295,000 and official language English.
~66% are Indo-Mauritian, ~28% Creole, ~3% Chinese, ~3% European.
C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM
There is freedom of religion, but with a tendency to favour
Indianization and, by implication, Hinduism. Mission work and Christian
witness are allowed, but proselytism is looked on unfavourably in this
multi-faith society. ~48.6% are Hindu, ~32.71% claim to be Christian,
~17.02% Muslim, ~0.42% Non-religious, ~0.4% Baha’i, ~0.33% Chinese,
~0.32% Buddhism, ~0.2% Sikh.
In the Christian category:
~21.53% are Catholic, ~8.37% Protestant, ~1.92% Independent, ~0.39%
Anglican.
Evangelicals represent ~10.1% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~14.1% and of those ~7.9% are Pentecostals.
Donna Siemens
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org
Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.