The Demographic Discontinuities of Mauritius

Up to the middle of the 20th century, immigration of Europeans, African slaves, and indentured laborers from India was the major source of population growth on the island of Mauritius. Immediately after World War II, fertility increased and mortality entered a rapid decline which is largely attributable to the eradication of malaria. During the 1960s Mauritius had one of the highest growth rates in the world. Over the last two decades, however, fertility declined to replacement level. These demographic discontinuities resulted in a strong youth cohort born during the 1960s and early 1970s that will characterize the Mauritian age structure for decades to come. This paper studies these discontinuities from several different angles.

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