Mauritius – paradise in the Indian Ocean
The Republic of Mauritius consists of several islands in the Indian Ocean. The largest of them is the eponymous island of Mauritius.
The archipelago is about 900 kilometers east of Madagascar. Tourists travel to Mauritius mainly because of the picturesque beaches, as the islands are a paradise for bathers, water sports enthusiasts and divers.
The country is well known for the “Blue Mauritius” stamp with the image of Queen Victoria. Today there are only about ten of the precious stamp from 1847 left. The most expensive letter in history with a Red and Blue Mauritius was auctioned for 3.5 million euros in 1993.
Name of the country | Republic of Mauritius |
Form of government | Parliamentary democracy |
Geographical location | In addition to the main island of Mauritius, the Republic of Mauritius includes the island of Rodrigues, the Cargados-Carajos Islands and the Agalega Islands. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues belong to the Mascarene archipelago in the southwestern Indian Ocean, about 800 km east of Madagascar. |
National anthem | Motherla |
Population | about 1.3 million (Credit: Countryaah: Mauritius Population) |
Ethnicities | approx. 53% Indian, approx. 2.3% European, approx. 43% Creole and approx. 1.6% Chinese |
Religions | approx. 50% Hindus, approx. 32.5% Christians, approx. 17% Muslims and approx. 0.2% Buddhists |
Languages | The official language is English. French is spoken equally. |
Capital | Port Louis |
Surface | 2,040 km², of which the island of Mauritius 1,865 km² |
Highest mountain | Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire with an altitude of 828 m. |
Longest river | The longest river in the country is the Grande Rivière du Sud-Est. |
Largest lake | The largest lake in Mauritius is the Mare aux Vacoas. |
International license plate | MS |
National currency | 1 Mauritius rupee (MR) = 100 cents |
Time difference to CET | + 3 h |
International phone code | 00230 |
Mains voltage, frequency | 220/230 volts and 50 hertz |
Internet TLD (Top Level Domain) | .mu |
Mauritius: history
From the year 1000 to the 17th century
The Portuguese navigator Pedro de Mascarenas discovered Mauritius and Réunion in 1512. After him, the islands were called Mascarene. The Dutch took over the island of Mauritius in 1598 and tried in vain to colonize it.
In the 18th and 19th centuries
According to Abbreviationfinder website, in 1710 the Dutch left the island. In 1715 Mauritius was taken over by France. The English tried unsuccessfully to conquer the island in 1748. The Code Napoléon, the French civil code, was introduced in Mauritius in 1808 and is still valid there today.
In 1810, the English still managed to conquer Mauritius. Slavery was abolished in 1835. Cheap labor was brought in from China and India (“coolies”).
From 1891 to 1899 epidemics and natural disasters ruled the island. Illness and emigration halved the number of people living in Mauritius.
In the 20th century
In 1958, unrestricted voting rights were introduced on the island. Mauritius became a sovereign state in the British Commonwealth in 1968 and a republic in 1992.