The Republic of Mauritius is an island country in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 km east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of Mauritius, the republic includes the islands of St. Brandon and Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 200 km to the southwest. A small island in the Adriatic sea An island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock, that is completely surrounded by water. ... The Indian Ocean is the third-largest body of water in the world, covering about 20% of the Earths water surface. ... Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa. ... Rodrigues (or Rodriguez) is an island in the Indian Ocean. ... The Agalega Islands are two islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 1,100 km (700 miles) north of Mauritius. ... The Mascarene Islands (or Mascarenhas Archipelago) is the collective title of a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, which include Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues and Cargados Carajos. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. ...

"First God made Mauritius, then he copied it and made Paradise." -- Rudyard Kipling

"God modelled heaven on Mauritius." -- Mark Twain

(In Detail)
National motto: Stella Clavisque Maris Indici (Latin: Star and Key of the Indian Ocean)
Official languages	De facto: English , French and Creole
Capital	Port Louis
President	Sir Anerood Jugnauth
Prime minister	Paul Bérenger
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 168th 1,860 km² 0.05%
Population  - Total (2002)  - Density	Ranked 149th 1,189,825 588/km²
Independence  - Date	From the United Kingdom March 12, 1968
Currency	Mauritian Rupee
Time zone	UTC +4
National anthem	Motherland
Internet TLD	.mu
Calling Code	230

Large flag of Mauritius Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Transparent Mauritian coat of arms, 125 px width This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Mauritius was adopted in 1968. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Mauritian Creole is a creole language or dialect from Mauritius. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... See also Port Louis, Falkland Islands. ... This page contains a list of presidents of Mauritius. ... The Right Honourable Sir Anerood Jugnauth (अनिरुद्घ जगन्नाथ) (born March 29, 1930) is president and former prime minister, defence and interior minister of Mauritius. ... Paul Berenger Paul Raymond Bérenger (born March 26, 1945) is a Mauritian politician and the current Prime Minister of Mauritius (since 2003). ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... The rupee is also the currency of Mauritius. ... -1... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The National Anthem is the name of a song by the band Radiohead. ... Categories: Stub | National anthems ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of which Internet domain names consist of. ... .mu is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Mauritius. ...

History

Main article: History of Mauritius While Arab and Malay sailors knew of Mauritius as early as the 10th century AD and Portuguese sailors first visited in the 16th century, the island was not colonized until 1638 by the Dutch. ...

The island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, and first colonised by the Dutch in 1638, naming the island in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau. The French controlled the island during the 18th century and renamed it Ile de France. The island was taken over by the British in 1810 and reverted to its former name. Events March 5 - Papal dispensation issued for the marriage of Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon June 27 - Henry VIII of England repudiates his engagement to Catherine of Aragon, at his fathers command King Alexander_of_Poland signed Nihil_novi act - Poland became Nobles Democracy Poland prohibits peasants from leaving... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... Maurice of Nassau (in Dutch Maurits van Nassau) (14 November 1567–23 April 1625), Prince of Orange (1618–1625), son of William the Silent and Princess Anna of Saxony, was born at the castle of Dillenburg. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Independence was attained in 1968, with the country becoming a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992. Mauritius has been a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, and has attracted considerable foreign investment earning one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, most of which were once governed by the United Kingdom and are its former colonies. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Mauritius Mauritian politics are vibrant and characterized by coalition and alliance building. ...

The head of state of Mauritius is the president, who is elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly, the unicameral Mauritian parliament. The National Assembly consists of 62 members elected directly by popular vote, while between 4 and 8 further members are appointed from "best losers" election candidates to represent ethnic minorities, depending on the results of the election. The government is headed by the prime minister and a council of ministers. A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... Alternative meaning: Prime Minister (band) A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the...

Districts and dependencies

Main article: Districts and dependencies of Mauritius The island of Mauritius itself is divided into 9 districts (capitals in parentheses): Black River (Tamarin) Flacq (Centre de Flacq) Grand Port (Mahebourg) Moka (Moka) Pamplemousses (Pamplemousses) Plaines Wilhems (Rose Hill) Port Louis (Port Louis) Riviére du Rempart (Poudre dOr) Savanne (Souillac) Three islands or island groups also...

The island of Mauritius itself is divided into 9 districts: Districts are a form of local government in several countries. ...

• Black River
• Flacq
• Grand Port
• Moka
• Pamplemousses
• Plaines Wilhems
• Port Louis
• Riviere du Rempart
• Savanne

Four islands or island groups also belonging to Mauritius are dependencies: Flacq is a district of Mauritius, situated in the east of the island. ... Grand Port is a district encompassing much of south-eastern part of the island of Mauritius. ... Moka is a district of Mauritius in the centre of the island. ... Port Louis is the capital and main port of Mauritius. ... Savanne is a district in Mauritius. ...

• Agalega Islands
• Cargados Carajos Shoals
• Chagos Archipelago
• Rodrigues

Note: Mauritius also claims the French-owned Tromelin Island The Agalega Islands are two islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 1,100 km (700 miles) north of Mauritius. ... Map of the Cargados Carajos Islands Cargados Carajos Shoals (also known as the Saint Brandon Rocks) are a group of about 16 small islands and islets on an extended reef in the Indian Ocean northeast of Mauritius. ... islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 500 km south of the Maldives. ... Rodrigues (or Rodriguez) is an island in the Indian Ocean. ... The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (in French Îles éparses de locéan indien) are five islands of the Indian Ocean with no permanent population, Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin. ...

Geography

Map of Mauritius

Main article: Geography of Mauritius Map of Mauritius. ... Map of Mauritius. ... Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E Map references: World Area: total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues Area - comparative...

Together with Réunion and Rodrigues, Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands. This archipelago was formed in a series of undersea volcanic eruptions, as the African plate drifted over the Réunion hotspot. Mauritius and Rodrigues were formed 8-10 million years ago. They are no longer volcanically active, and the hotspot now rests under Réunion. The island of Mauritius itself is formed around a central plateau, with its highest peak in the southwest, Piton de la Riviere Noire at 828 m. Around the plateau, the original crater can still be distinguished from several mountains. Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. ... The Mascarene Islands (or Mascarenhas Archipelago) is the collective title of a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, which include Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues and Cargados Carajos. ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... The African Plate is a continental tectonic plate covering the continent of Africa and extending westward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. ... The Réunion hotspot is a volcanic hotspot which presently lies under the Island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. ...

The local climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; there is a warm, dry winter from May to November and a hot, wet, and humid summer from November to May. Cyclones affect the country during November-April. Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... This article is about the meteorological phenomenon. ... November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ...

The island's capital and largest city is Port Louis, in the northwest. Other important towns are Curepipe, Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes and Vacoas, and the Triolet Village See also Port Louis, Falkland Islands. ... Categories: Stub ... Rose Hill may refer to: Rose Hill, North Carolina Rose Hill, Kansas Rose Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia Rose Hill, Iowa Rose Hill, Illinois Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Mauritius Mauritius has one of the strongest economies in Africa, with a GDP of $4. ...

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%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Infrastructure is the set of interconnected structural elements that provide the framework for supporting the entire structure. ...

Sugar cane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. A record-setting drought severely damaged the sugar crop in 1999, however. The government's development strategy centres on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over USD 1 billion. Economic performance during the period from 2000 through 2004 combined strong economic growth with unemployment rising to 10.2% in 2003. Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... For other uses, see Bank (disambiguation). ...

On the 4th of April 2005 during his budget speech (http://mof.gov.mu/budget/20052006/speech.htm), Hon. Pravind Jugnauth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development announced that Mauritius will become a Duty Free Island and that will take about 4 years. Duty has been decreased (and for many products completely elimated) for more that 1850 products including clothing, food, jewellery, photographic equipment, audio visual equipment, lighting equipment etc.

The main motivations are (1) Attract more and more tourists going to Singapore and Dubai, and, (2) Make all Mauritians get access to quality products at affordable prices.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Mauritius Population: 1,179,368 (July 2000 est. ...

The two official languages of Mauritius are English and French, of which French is the still the most widely spoken despite France having lost its colonial dominion over the island for close to 200 years. A French-based Creole language, with influence from English, Portuguese and Hindi languages, is also widely used by all Mauritians. A written Creole "language" has been evolving since the late sixties. It is based only on pronunciation, and does not resemble French by any means. Several Asian languages, including Hindi, Urdu, and other Indian languages such as Telugu are also spoken. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Mauritian Creole is a creole language or dialect from Mauritius. ... Portuguese (português) is a Romance language predominantly spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and East Timor. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken in most states in northern and central India. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken in most states in northern and central India. ... Urdu(اردو) is an Indo-European language which originated in India, most likely in the vicinity of Delhi, from whence it spread to the rest of the subcontinent. ... Telugu belongs to the family of Dravidian languages and is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. ...

The latter South Asian language are spoken by descendants of the labourers brought from India by the British. These Indo-Mauritians form approximately 70% of the total population, while the rest of the population are of either African, French, Chinese or mixed descent. There are thought to be approximately 30 000 Mauritians of Chinese descent, from Hakka and Cantonese language groups. The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... Han Chinese (Simplified: 汉; Traditional: 漢; Pinyin: hàn) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... Hakka (Chinese: 客家; pinyin: kèjiā, literal meaning guest families) are a Han Chinese people whose ancestors are said to originate from around Henan and Shanxi in northern China over 2700 years ago. ... Cantonese can refer to: Of, or pertaining to, the people of, or things from, Guangdong Province, Hong Kong or Macau in China. ...

Of all religiously affiliated Mauritians, Hindus constitute 50% with the remainder being composed mostly of Christians(28%) and Muslims (17%). This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Mauritius Mauritius is a multicultural country, but some have observed that it is not yet a nation where people look more in the direction of the land of their forebearers and fail to come to terms with the reality in which they face everyday life. ...

The mixed colonial past of Mauritius is reflected in its culture. For example, the cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Dutch, French, Indian and Creole. A cuisine (from French cuisine, meaning cooking; culinary art; kitchen; itself from Latin coquina, meaning the same; itself from the Latin verb coquere, meaning to cook) is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a place of origin. ... The French are a Latin/Celtic/Germanic ethnic group primarily associated with France and the French language. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... The term Creole is used with different meanings in different contexts, which can generate confusion. ...

In 1847 Mauritius became the fifth country in the world to issue postage stamps. The two types of stamps issued then, known as the Red Penny and the Blue Penny are probably the most famous stamps in the world, being very rare and therefore also very expensive. Events January January 4 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government. ... This 1974 stamp from Japan depicts a Class 8620 steam locomotive. ... A Mauritian Red Penny The Mauritius Post Office postage stamps are amongst the rarest and most valuable stamps in the world. ... A Mauritian Red Penny The Mauritius Post Office postage stamps are amongst the rarest and most valuable stamps in the world. ...

When discovered, the island of Mauritius was home to a previously unknown species of bird, which the Portuguese named the dodo (simpleton), as they appeared not too bright. However, by 1681, all dodos had been killed by settlers or their domesticated animals. Nevertheless, the dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national coat-of-arms (see above). Binomial name Raphus cucullatus ( Linnaeus, 1758) The Mauritius Dodo (Raphus cucullatus, called Didus ineptus by Linnaeus), more commonly just Dodo, was a metre-high flightless bird of the island of Mauritius. ... Events March 4 - Charles II of England grants a land charter to William Penn for the area that will later become Pennsylvania. ... This is a list of animals that have been domesticated by humans. ... In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. ... Heraldry is the science and art of describing of coats-of-arms, also referred to as achievements or armorial bearings. ...

• Music of Mauritius

A woman performs the sega in Pointe-aux-Piments, Mauritius. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• University of Technology, Mauritius
• List of Mauritians
• Islam in Mauritius
• Communications in Mauritius
• Transportation in Mauritius
• Military of Mauritius
• Foreign relations of Mauritius
• Tertiary education in Mauritius

The Government of Mauritius approved the setting up of the University of Technology, Mauritius in January 2000 and The University of Technology, Mauritius Act was proclaimed on 21st June 2000. ... This is a short list of prominent people from Mauritius. ... The 1968 constitution of Mauritius recognized four population categories: Hindus, Muslims, Sino-Mauritians, and the general population. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 327,200 (2002) Telephones - mobile cellular: 350,000 (2002) Telephone system: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries Radio broadcast stations... Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 1,860 km paved: 1,786 km (including 36 km of expressways) unpaved: 74 km (2001) Waterways: none Ports and harbors: Port Louis Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,004 GRT/90,017 DWT ships by type: cargo 2... Mauritius does not have a standing army. ... Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West, as well as with India and the countries of southern and eastern Africa. ... Tertiary education in Mauritius includes principly the University of Mauritius. ...

External links

• University of Mauritius (http://www.uom.ac.mu/)
• University of Technology, Mauritius (http://www.utm.ac.mu/)
• Servihoo web portal (http://www.servihoo.com/) - Mauritian portal
• Mauritius Info (http://www.mauritius-info.com/) - Mauritian portal
• TopFm Radio (http://www.topfmradio.com/) - Live, local, Mauritian radio station
• Mauritius broadcasting Corp. (http://mbc.intnet.mu/) - Public TV/Radio Broadcasting
• Government of Mauritius (http://www.gov.mu/) - Official governmental site
• Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (http://www.mauritius.net/) - Official tourism site
• LookSmart - Mauritius (http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317916/us559898/us559899/us10065675/us559935/) directory category
• Open Directory Project - Mauritius (http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317916/us559898/us559899/us10065675/us559935/) directory category
• Yahoo - Mauritius (http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Mauritius/) directory category
• The Dutch in Mauritius (http://www.colonialvoyage.com/mauritius.html) The Dutch in Mauritius
• Pre-Mauritius Banknotes (http://numismondo.com/pm/ifb/) - 18th Century Banknotes from Isles de France et de Bourbon