Mauritius is one of the most peaceful and safest places on earth to live in. This is one of the many reasons why many foreign nationals have been relocating to Mauritius in recent years.

That peace and safety prevail in the island nation is well-supported in a 2020 study of the Institute for Economics and Peace, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization.

Amongst the 163 countries that the institute rated, Mauritius was ranked at no. 23 with a peace index of 1.544. It was an improvement from the country’s no. 24 rating previously. The island nation’s grade is notably just fractionally away from that of Iceland which got a 1.064 under the institute’s rating system wherein lower scores indicate better levels of peacefulness.

The criteria on peace

The ratings of the Institute for Economics and Peace were based on three primary domains: the level of societal security and safety, the extent of ongoing international and domestic conflict, and the degree of militarisation. To break down each of these aspects, the factors which the institute examined included the number of external and internal violent conflicts, political instability, levels of distrust, and military spending as a percentage of GDP.

Mauritius notably ranked among the leading countries unshaken by ongoing conflicts.  This ranking not only affirms the wisdom, but it also augurs well for businessmen and investors from overseas looking for safe and peaceful investment destinations.

Thriving minus an army

Mauritius also did well in the institute’s ranking because the country is one of the 23 nations in the world which do not have an active military. Since 1968 when it gained independence from Great Britain, Mauritius never saw the need to have an army.

Mauritius currently spends just 0.3 per cent of its gross domestic product on national defense and internal peace and order.  This spending covers the country’s budget for the local police force, the Special Mobile Force, and the National Coast Guard. Some 10,000 personnel man these agencies working to ensure peacefulness and safety in Mauritius.

As an army-less nation, the country consequently earns a “peace dividend” providing it with more resources for allocation to other government services that further help make the island even more attractive. Without a military, government spending in effect is also lower. Consequently, this translates down the line in lower business taxes encouraging private sector investments.

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