Republic of Mauritius République de Maurice
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Stella Clavisque Maris Indici"  (Latin) "Star and Key of the Indian Ocean"
Anthem: Motherland
Capital (and largest city)		Port Louis 20°10′S, 57°31′E
Official languages		English1
Recognised regional languages		Mauritian Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Chinese (Mandarin), Telugu, Mauritian Bhojpuri
Demonym		Mauritian
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Anerood Jugnauth
-	Prime Minister	Navinchandra Ramgoolam
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Date	March 12, 1968
-	Republic	March 12, 1992
Area
-	Total	2,040 km² (179th) 787 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. The flag of Mauritius was adopted upon independence March 12, 1968. The Coat of arms of Mauritius are stipulated in the " Mauritius Laws 1990 Vol A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "Motherland" is the national anthem of the island country of Mauritius. Mauritian society includes people from many different ethnic groups An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Mauritian Creole, also called Kreol Morisyen, is a Creole language spoken in Mauritius. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan Bhojpuri ( is a regional language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government This page contains a list of presidents of Mauritius. The President is elected by the National Assembly of Mauritius for term of five years it is a largely ceremonial position Sir Anerood Jugnauth, KCMG, QC (born March 29 1930 is the President of Mauritius. List of Heads of Governments of Mauritius (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office Political Affiliations MMM Navinchandra Ramgoolam ( नवीन चन्‍द्र रामगुलाम) (born July 14 1947) is the current Prime Minister of the Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 05
Population
-	2007 estimate	1,264,866 2 (151st)
-	Density	616/km² (18th) 1,564/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$16. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 0 billion (119th)
-	Per capita	$13,703 (51st)
HDI (2004)		▲ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 804 (high) (65th)
Currency		Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Time zone		MUT (UTC+4)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+4)
Internet TLD		.mu
Calling code		+230
1	[1][2]
2	The population estimate is for the whole republic. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The rupee ( ISO 4217 code MUR) is the currency of Mauritius. It is divided into 100 cents. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Mauritius Time, or MUT, is a Time zone used by in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E For the island of Mauritius only, as at 31 December 2007, it is 1,227,078[3]

Mauritius (pronounced: IPA: /məˈrɪʃəs/; French: Île Maurice /mɔʁis/; Mauritian Creole: Maurice), officially the Republic of Mauritius, French: République de Maurice, is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres (560 mi) east of Madagascar. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Mauritian Creole, also called Kreol Morisyen, is a Creole language spoken in Mauritius. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern In addition to the island of Mauritius, the republic includes the islands of St. Brandon, Rodrigues and the Agalega 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 Rodrigues, ( Rodriguan Creole: Zil Rodrigues) named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands The Agalega Islands are two islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 1100 km (700 miles north of Mauritius at. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 200 km (125 mi) to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues 570 km to the northeast. The Mascarene Islands (or Mascarenhas Archipelago) is a group of Islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar comprising Mauritius This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of

History

Main article: History of Mauritius

The first record of Mauritius comes from Dravidian and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century. Colonization Discovery in 1502 Cantino shows three islands which are thought to represent the Mascarenes (Reunion Mauritius and Rodrigues and calls them diba margabin Dravidian peoples refers to the peoples that natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast ^[4] The Portuguese sailors first visited it in 1507 and established a visiting base leaving the island uninhabited. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Three ships of the eight Dutch Second Fleet that were sent to the Spice Islands were blown off course during a cyclone and landed on the island in 1598, naming it in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau, the Stadtholder of the Netherlands. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands This article covers the historical role of the Maluku Islands as a source of spices since early history when the islands where known as the Spice Islands Maurice of Nassau (Maurits van Nassau ( 14 November 1567 &ndash 23 April 1625) Prince of Orange (1618&ndash1625 A Stadtholder ( Dutch: stadhouder, " steward " or literally "place-keeper" or "stead-holder" in older Dutch in the Low ^[5] In 1638, the Dutch established the first permanent settlement. Because of tough climatic conditions including cyclones and the deterioration of the settlement, the Dutch abandoned the island some decades later. France, which already controlled the neighbouring Île Bourbon (now Réunion) seized Mauritius in 1715 and later renamed it Île de France (Isle of France). Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Under French rule, the island developed a prosperous economy based on sugar production. This economic transformation was initiated in part by governor François Mahé de Labourdonnais.

During their numerous military conflicts with Great Britain, the French harboured the outlawed "corsairs" (privateers or pirates) who frequently took British vessels as they sailed between India and Britain, laden with valuable trade goods. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 A privateer was a private Warship authorized by a country's Government by Letters of marque to attack foreign shipping Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering In the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) the British set out to gain control of the island. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions Despite winning the Battle of Grand Port, Napoleon's only naval victory over the British, the French lost to the British at Cap Malheureux three months later. The naval Battle of Grand Port took place on 20 August 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars in the Harbour of Grand Port. They formally surrendered on 3 December 1810, on terms allowing settlers to keep their land and property and to use the French language and law of France in criminal and civil matters. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people In academic terms French law can be divided into two main categories private law (" droit privé " and public law (" droit public " Under British rule, the island's name reverted to the original Mauritius.

In 1965, the United Kingdom split the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius to create the British Indian Ocean Territory in order to use the strategic islands for defence purposes in co-operation with the United States. The Chagos Archipelago (formerly Oil Islands) is a group of seven Atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical Islands roughly in the centre of The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Although the Government of Mauritius agreed to the move at the time, subsequent administrations have laid claim to the islands stating that the divestment was illegal under international law, a claim recognised by the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

A postcard c. 1900-1910 showing the Port Louis theatre.

Mauritius attained independence in 1968 and the country became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992. A Commonwealth republic is any one of the 31 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations with a Republican form of government Mauritius has been a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record,^[6] and has attracted considerable foreign investment earning one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system ^[7]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Mauritius

Mauritius is a parliamentary democracy based on the United Kingdom model. Politics of Mauritius takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the prime minister is the Head of The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories ^[8] 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. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This page contains a list of presidents of Mauritius. The President is elected by the National Assembly of Mauritius for term of five years it is a largely ceremonial position The National Assembly is Mauritius 's Unicameral Parliament, which was called the Legislative Assembly until 1992, when the country Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The National Assembly consists of 62 members elected directly by popular vote, with between four and eight further members appointed from "best losers" election candidates to represent ethnic minorities, if under represented after the elections. The government is headed by the prime minister and a council of ministers. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation.

The Government is elected on a five-year basis. The most recent general elections took place on 3 July 2005 in all the 20 mainland constituencies, as well as the constituency covering the island of Rodrigues. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rodrigues, ( Rodriguan Creole: Zil Rodrigues) named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands

Historically, elections have always had a tendency to adhere to a system comprising two major coalitions of parties.

In international affairs, Mauritius is part of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Southern African Development Community and the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie (French speaking countries) amongst others. The Indian Ocean Commission ( COI) known as the Commission de l'Océan Indien in French, is an intergovernmental organization that joins Comoros The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) is an Inter-governmental organization. La Francophonie is an international organisation of French-speaking countries and governments and in French, the community of French-speaking peoples A more complete list can be found in the main Politics of Mauritius article. Politics of Mauritius takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the prime minister is the Head of

In 2006, Mauritius asked to be an observing member of Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) in order to become closer to those countries. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Community of Portuguese Language Countries ( Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, pron. ^[9]

Districts and dependencies

Main article: Districts and dependencies of Mauritius

The island of Mauritius itself is divided into nine districts:

1. Black River (Capital: Bambous)
2. Flacq (Capital: Centre de Flacq)
3. Grand Port (Capital: Mahebourg)
4. Moka (Capital: Quartier Militaire)
5. Pamplemousses (Capital: Triolet)
6. Plaines Wilhems (Capital: Rose Hill/ Curepipe)
7. Port Louis (Capital of Maurtius)
8. Rivière du Rempart (Capital: Mapou)
9. Savanne (Capital: Souillac)

Dependencies of Mauritius:

• Rodrigues, an island 560 kilometres north-east of Mauritius, which attained limited autonomy in October 2002. |||}The island of Mauritius is divided into 9 Districts (capitals in parentheses Black River ( Mauritius|Bambous] Flacq Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. Black River is a district of Mauritius on the western side of the island Bambous is a town in the Black River district of Mauritius, on the road from Tamarin to the capital of Port Louis. Flacq is a district of Mauritius, situated in the east of the island Centre de Flacq ( French for the "centre of Flacq " is a town and the capital of the district of Flacq in east-central Mauritius. Grand Port is a district encompassing much of the south-eastern part of the island of Mauritius. Mahébourg is a small city (population 15753 as of 2000 on the southeastern coast of the island of Mauritius. Moka is a district of Mauritius in the central plateau of the island Quartier Militaire ( nickname Arab Town is a town in the centre of Mauritius, found in the Moka District and the capital of Moka-Flacq Pamplemousses is a district of Mauritius in the north of the island and is one of the most densely populated parts of the island A triolet (ˈtriːəˌlɨt or /ˌtriːəˈleɪ/ is a one Stanza poem of eight lines Plaines Wilhems is one of the most important districts in Mauritius. Curepipe is a town (population 81600 in 2003) centrally situated in Mauritius, an island country in the southwest Indian Ocean. Port Louis District is the Capital and one of the district of Mauritius. Rivière du Rempart is a district of Mauritius. It is located in the North-East of the country For the tree of the same name see Matipo Mapou is a village in the northern part of the island of Mauritius. Savanne is a district in Mauritius. The capital is Souillac. As of the 2000 census the district has a population of 66356 and covers an area of 243 Rodrigues, ( Rodriguan Creole: Zil Rodrigues) named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands ^[10][11] Had the status of the 10th administrative district of Mauritius before autonomy was attained. ^[12]

• Agalega, two small islands about 933 kilometres (580 mi) north of Mauritius. The Agalega Islands are two islands in the Indian Ocean, lying 1100 km (700 miles north of Mauritius at.
• Cargados Carajos Shoals, also known as the Saint Brandon islands, about 402 kilometres (250 mi) north of Mauritius. 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

Other Mauritian territories:

• Soudan Banks (including East Soudan Bank)
• Nazareth Bank
• Saya de Malha Bank
• Hawkins Bank

Mauritius also claims the following islands. The Soudan Banks are a group of underwater high points and reefs off the coast of Africa, known for their good Fishing and administered by Mauritius. Nazareth Bank is a large undersea bank in the Indian Ocean, part of the vast undersea Mascarene Plateau. The Saya de Malha Bank (also Sahia de Malha Bank Modern Portuguese saia de malha, English mesh skirt) is a large submerged bank in the Indian Hawkins Bank is a large submerged bank off the Mascarene plateau ^[13]:

• In French possession: Tromelin Island
• In British possession: Chagos Archipelago

Geography

Main article: Geography of Mauritius

Map of Mauritius

Together with Réunion and Rodrigues, Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands. Tromelin Island troʊmˌlæn ˈʔaɪlənd ( French: Île Tromelin /il tʀɔmlɛ̃/ is a low flat 0 The Chagos Archipelago (formerly Oil Islands) is a group of seven Atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical Islands roughly in the centre of Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: Map references Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Rodrigues, ( Rodriguan Creole: Zil Rodrigues) named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands The Mascarene Islands (or Mascarenhas Archipelago) is a group of Islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar comprising Mauritius This archipelago was formed in a series of undersea volcanic eruptions, as the African plate drifted over the Réunion hotspot. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The African Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes the Continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding The Réunion hotspot is a Volcanic hotspot which currently lies under the Island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. 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 Petite Rivière Noire at 828 metres (2,717 ft). Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire is the tallest mountain on the island of Mauritius,in the Indian Ocean. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Around the plateau, the original crater can still be distinguished from several mountains.

Satellite image of Mauritius, February 2003, with traced outline of island.

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. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of Anti-cyclones affect the country during May to September. In Meteorology, an anticyclone (that is opposite to a Cyclone) is a Weather phenomenon in which there is a descending movement of the air and Cyclones affect the country during November-April. Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two last cyclones to have affected the island. Cyclone Hollanda was one of the most devastating Tropical cyclones to have hitthe island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean since intense tropical cycloneGervaise

The island's capital and largest city is Port Louis, in the northwest. Other important towns are Curepipe, Vacoas, Phoenix, Quatre Bornes, Rose-Hill and Beau-Bassin . Curepipe is a town (population 81600 in 2003) centrally situated in Mauritius, an island country in the southwest Indian Ocean. Vacoas is one of the five main towns in Mauritius. It has the fifth largest number of inhabitants Vacoas is one of the five main towns in Mauritius. It has the fifth largest number of inhabitants Quatre Bornes (which means Four boundary stones in French) is a town in Mauritius, located in the Upper Plaines Wilhems district

The island is well known for its natural beauty. Author Mark Twain, for example, noted in Following the Equator, his personal travelogue, "You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius". An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Following the Equator (American English title or More Tramps Abroad (English title is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author

Economy

Skyline of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.

Main article: Economy of Mauritius

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. Overview Since independence in 1968 Mauritius has developed from a low-income agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality and an improved infrastructure. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids

Estimated at US$10,155 for 2005 at purchasing power parity (PPP),^[14] Mauritius has the seventh-highest GDP per capita in Africa, behind Réunion (US$19,233 at real exchange rates),^[15], Seychelles (US$13,887 at PPP), Gabon (US$12,742 at PPP), Botswana (US$12,057 at PPP), Equatorial Guinea (US$11,999 at PPP), and Libya (US$10,727 at PPP). The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Seychelles (seɪˈʃɛl or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ in English and seʃɛl in French) officially the Republic of Seychelles (République des Seychelles Creole Gabon (gəˈbɒn or /gaˈbõ/ in French) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana is a Landlocked nation in Southern Africa. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial,) is a country in Central Africa. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab ^[14] The economy is mainly dependent on sugarcane plantations, tourism, textiles, and services, but other sectors are rapidly developing as well. Mauritius, Libya, and Seychelles are the only three African nations with a "high" Human Development Index rating (Réunion, as part of France, is not listed by the UN in their Human Development Index ranking). The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

Sugar cane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae However, a record-setting drought severely damaged the sugar crop in 1999. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) 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 while investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money Economic performance during the period from 2000 through 2004 combined strong economic growth with unemployment at 7. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 6% in December 2004. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " France is the country's biggest trading partner, has close ties with the country, and provides technical assistance in various forms. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

In order to provide locals with access to imports at lower prices and attract more tourists going to Singapore and Dubai, Mauritius is gearing towards becoming a duty-free island within the next four years. Singapore Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Duty has been eliminated for several products and decreased for more than 1850 products including clothing, food, jewelry, photographic equipment, audio visual equipment and lighting equipment. ^[16] In addition, reforms aimed at attracting new business opportunities have also been implemented. Recently, in the 2007-2008 budget, Finance Minister Rama Sithanen reduced the corporate tax to 15%.

A plan by ADB Networks calls for Mauritius to become the first nation to have coast-to-coast wireless internet access. Wi-Fi (ˈwaɪfaɪ is the trade name for the popular wireless technology used The wireless hot spot currently covers about 60% of the island and is accessible by about 70% of its population.

Mauritius ranks first in respect of FDI inflows to India amongst all the countries, with cumulative inflows amounting to US$10. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country 98 billion. The top sectors attracting FDI inflows from Mauritius between January 2000 and December 2005 are electrical equipment, telecommunications, fuels, cement and gypsum products and services sector (financial and non-financial). ^[17]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Mauritius

Ancestry

Mauritian society includes people from many different ethnic groups. Mauritian society includes people from many different ethnic groups A majority of the republic's residents are the descendants of people from the Indian subcontinent. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. Mauritius also contains substantial populations from continental Africa, Madagascar, France, Great Britain, and China, among other places. Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

The Indo-Mauritians (when the ethnic groups are combined) and Creoles (of African descent) are the predominant population. Indo-Mauritians are people of Indian descent living on the island of Mauritius, where they represent a majority comprising 68% of the population according to the Mauritian Creole people are the people of African and Malagasy origin who live in Mauritius There are approximately 30,000 Mauritians of Chinese descent, from the Hakka, Mandarin, and Cantonese language groups. More than 90% of the Sino-Mauritian community are Roman Catholic. , the remainder are largely Buddhist.

Melody Selvon, "Miss Mauritius" in 2007. Melody Selvon, 18 is a beauty queen who represented Mauritius in Miss World 2007 in China.

While there is a small population of British citizens living in Mauritius, most of whom have Mauritian nationality, few identify as being Mauritian. The term Anglo-Mauritian, a term which may include Mauritians living in the UK, is used unofficially.

Though the Franco-Mauritian group is small, it is the largest of the European ancestries on the island. Franco-Mauritians are people of French origin who reside in Mauritius. They are usually upper-class citizens and form the wealthiest group of people on the island.

Picture from the 1950s of the Central Market, Port Louis, Mauritius.

Small groups of foreign students from Europe or the Indian Ocean region are also present. Recent years have seen a steady flow of foreign workers into the textile industry (primarily Chinese women), the construction industry (primarily Indian workers), and harbour-related activities (primarily Taiwanese men). Immigration policy does not provoke much debate in Mauritius, and the relative economic stability of the island serves to attract foreign workers.

Language

The official language of Mauritius is English. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States All government administrative documents are therefore drawn up in English. Together with English, French is also used in instruction in the educational system. French, however, predominates in the media, both broadcast and printed as well as with business and in corporate affairs. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Although English is the official language of the island, A majority of the population can speak French fluently. American and other English-language movies and TV programmes shown in Mauritius are conventionally dubbed in French.

The most widely-spoken language of the country is Mauritian Creole, which has close ties with French pronunciation, but with a few marked differences - Creole does not contain some of the more deep and rounded consonants that French does. Mauritian Creole, also called Kreol Morisyen, is a Creole language spoken in Mauritius. Mauritian Creole is considered the native tongue of the country. Creole was the language used by the African slaves to communicate with their French masters. Today, Creole is used in everyday life by all Mauritians. When Franco-Mauritians engage in conversations with Creole speakers, French is more commonly employed than Creole. Franco-Mauritians are people of French origin who reside in Mauritius.

Hindi and Urdu also has numerous speakers in the country, although both are used mainly by the Indian community. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Several other languages including Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi and dialects of Chinese, such as Cantonese, Hakka and Mandarin, are also spoken by significant parts of the population. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Marathi (mr मराठी Marāṭhī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of what is considered western India. Bhojpuri ( is a regional language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly The earliest builders brought by the French were the Tamils of Indian origin, who were employed to build Port Louis, the capital. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern Subsequently, around hundred years later, laborers from other parts of British India were brought by the British. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Arabic is taught in Mosques around Mauritius. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language

Religion

The largest religions of the republic are Hinduism (52%), Roman Catholicism (28%), Islam (16. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. 6%), Buddhism (2. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices 5%), Adventist Protestantism (2%) and Sikhism (0. The term Adventist generally refers to someone who believes in the Second Advent of Jesus (popularly known as the Second coming) in the tradition of the Millerites Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century 3%). ^[18]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Mauritius

The cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Creole, Chinese and European. The culture of Mauritius involves the blending of several cultures from Mauritius's history as well as individual culture arising indigenously Cuisine (from French cuisine, "cooking culinary art kitchen" ultimately from Latin coquere, "to cook" is a specific set Louisiana Creole cuisine is a style of Cooking originating in Louisiana (centered on the Greater New Orleans area that blends French, Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in European cuisine, or alternatively Western cuisine is a generalized term collectively referring to the Cuisines of Europe and other Western countries It is common for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal. The "cari poule" or chicken curry, for example, is a very popular dish. Other common Mauritian dishes include the "dholl puri" (a type of bread, made from lentils) the "mine-frit" (Chinese fried noodle), and "niouk nien" (dumplings). A common Mauritian drink is "alouda", a milk-based drink containing basil seeds.

The production of rum is common throughout the island. Rum is a Distilled beverage made from Sugarcane by-products such as Molasses and sugarcane Juice by a process of fermentation Sugarcane was first introduced on the island when the Dutch colonised it in 1638. Even then, the propensity of making rum out of sugarcane was strongly recognised. Sugarcane was mainly cultivated for the production of "arrack", a precursor to rum. Arrack is an Alcoholic beverage that is distilled mainly in South Asia and South East Asia from fermented Fruit, Only much later, after almost 60 years, the first proper sugar was produced. However, it was during the French and English administration that sugar production was fully exploited, which considerably contributed to the economical development of the island. It was Pierre Charles François Harel who in 1850 initially proposed the concept of local distillation of rum in Mauritius. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link In part due to his efforts, Mauritius today houses three distilleries (Grays, Medine and St Aubin) and is in the process of opening an additional three.

The sega is a local folklore music. Sega music is an evolved combination of traditional Music of Mauritian, Seychellois and Réunionnais music with European Dance music like Sega has African roots, and main traditional instruments for producing the music are goat-skin percussion instruments called ravane and metallic clicks using metal triangles. The triangle is an Idiophone type of Musical instrument in the percussion family The songs usually describe the miseries of slavery, and has been adapted nowadays as social satires to voice out inequalities as felt by the blacks. Men are usually at the instruments while women perform an accompanying dance. Shows are regularly hosted in the coastal hotels.

Mauritius was the only known habitat of the extinct Dodo bird. The dodo ( Raphus cucullatus) was a Flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.

In 1847, Mauritius became the fifth country in the world to issue postage stamps. A postage stamp is an adhesive paper evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services The two types of stamps issued then, known as the Mauritius "Post Office" stamps, consisting of a Red Penny and Blue Two Pence denomination, are probably the most famous and valuable stamps in the world. The Mauritius "Post Office" stamps are among the rarest Postage stamps in the world and are of legendary status in the world of Philately

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. The dodo ( Raphus cucullatus) was a Flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. However, by 1681, all dodos had been killed by settlers or their domesticated animals. This is a list of animals that have been domesticated by Humans. An alternate theory suggests that the imported wild boar destroyed the slow breeding dodo population. The boar or wild boar ( Sus scrofa) is an Omnivorous, gregarious Mammal of the biological family Suidae. Nevertheless, the dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national coat-of-arms (see above). In Heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people

Maiden 2006 Parade. Horse racing is one of the most popular sports on the island.

The island has also given rise to a diversified literature, prominent in French, English,and Creole.

International rankings

See also

Miscellaneous topics

• Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport
• Air Mauritius - National Airline
• The Mauritius Scout Association
• The Mauritius Command - a novel by Patrick O'Brian

References

Further reading

• Dodd, Jan and Madeleine Philippe. Lonely Planet Mauritius Reunion & Seychelles. Lonely Planet Publications, 2004. ISBN 1-74059-301-4
• Lee, Jacques: Mauritius: Its Creole Language - The Ultimate Creole Phrase Book and Dictionary, Paperback 160 pages (August 15, 2005), Publisher: Nautilus, ISBN 0-9511296-4-3.
• Lee, Jacques: Sega: The Mauritian Folk Dance, Paperback 104 pages (December 1990), Publisher: Nautilus, ISBN 0-9511296-1-9
• Khal Torabully, Coolitude : An Anthology of the Indian Labour Diaspora (with Marina Carter, Anthem Press, London, 2002) ISBN 1843310031

External links

• Government of Mauritius
• Mauritius at the Open Directory Project
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Mauritius
• Mauritius travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikimedia Atlas of Mauritius
• Mauritius-Rodrigues history