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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