The independent island of Mauritius is situated in the South West Indian Ocean covering 1860 km 2 and incorporating the islands of Rodrigues, Agalega, Cargados, Carajos and other smaller islands. Principal Commercial Centres Port Louis is the chief commercial centre. Textiles and clothing are the principal export products. Other products such as electrical components, jewellery, cut diamonds, footwear and leathercraft are also important. Sugar cane cultivation is still predominant in Mauritius.
Tea is the second most important agricultural export.
Other main crops are tea and tobacco. Food crops and fisheries contribute a very small part to this sector. Corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats and fish are also of importance. Telecommunications Direct dialling from South Africa is available on code 09230 followed by the subscriber's number. Mauritius has a highly developed postal, fax and telex service and an extensive telephone network.