Mauritius officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation in IndianOcean about 2,000 km off the southeast coast of African continent, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island of Mauritius, alongside islands of Rodrigues, Agaléga, and St. Brandon. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, along with nearby Réunion are part of the Mascarene Islands. The capital and largest city, PortLouis, is located in Mauritius, where most of the population is concentrated.
The country spread over 2,040 sq km was first discovered around 975 by Arabs who called it Dina Arobi. The re-discovery was made in 1507 by Portuguese sailors. The Dutch took possession in 1598, establishing a succession of short-lived settlements over a period of about 120 years, before abandoning their efforts in 1710. France took control in 1715, renaming it Isle de France. In 1810, the island was seized by Great Britain, and four years later France ceded Mauritius and its dependencies to Britain.
As a British colony, Mauritius included Rodrigues, Agaléga, St. Brandon, Tromelin, the Chagos Archipelago, and, until 1906, the Seychelles. Sovereignty over Tromelin is disputed between Mauritius and France, as it was not specifically mentioned in the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius remained a primarily plantation-based colony of the United Kingdom until independence in 1968. In 1965, three years before Mauritius became independent, the UK split off the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritian territory, and also split off the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches from Seychelles, to form British Indian Ocean Territory
The local population was forcibly expelled and the largest island, DiegoGarcia, was leased to the USA. The sovereignty of the Chagos is disputed between Mauritius and the UK. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion ordering the UK to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as rapidly as possible to complete the decolonization of Mauritius. Owing to its geographic location and centuries of colonialism, the people of Mauritius are highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language, and faith. It is the only country in Africa where #Hinduism is the most practiced religion. Mauritius is highly ranked for democracy and for economic and political freedom.
Mauritius is the only African country ranked “very high” category on the Human Development Index. The country is classified as a high-income and one of the most developed economies in the African region. The country is a welfare state that provides free universal healthcare, free education up through the tertiary level, and free public transportation for students, senior citizens, and the disabled. Along with the other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its varied flora and fauna. Many species are endemic to the island.
The island was the only known home of the dodo, which, along with several other avian species, was made extinct by human activities relatively soon after the island’s settlement. In the country’s history abolition of slavery had important impacts on Mauritius’s society, economy, and population. The planters brought a large number of indentured laborers from India to work in the sugar cane fields. Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured laborers were present on the island. They worked on sugar estates, factories, transport, and construction sites. Additionally, the British brought 8,740 Indian soldiers to the island. Aapravasi Ghat, in the bay at Port Louis and now a UNESCO site, was the first British colony to serve as a major reception center for indentured servants.
The country is home to some of the world’s rarest plants and animals. However human habitation and the introduction of non-native species have threatened its indigenous flora and fauna. Due to its volcanic origin, age, isolation, and unique terrain, Mauritius is home to a diversity of flora and fauna not usually found in such a small area. Before the Portuguese arrival in 1507, there were no terrestrial mammals on the island. This allowed the evolution of a number of flightless birds and large reptile species.
The arrival of humans saw the introduction of invasive alien species, this rapidly destroyed habitat of the endemic flora and fauna. In particular, resulted in the extinction of the flightless dodo bird, a species unique to Mauritius.Since independence from Britain in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculture-based economy to a high-income diversified economy, based on tourism, textiles, sugar, and financial services. The economic history of Mauritius since independence has been called “the Mauritian Miracle” and the “success of Africa”.
Mauritius has one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world, and in 2012 the government announced its intention to develop the marine economy. Mauritius is a major tourist destination, and the tourism sector is the fourth biggest contributor to the Mauritian economy. The island nation enjoys a tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, beaches, tropical fauna, and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population. The country celebrates many #Indian#festivals and much of its cuisie has the influence of Indian, Creole, French and Chinese, with many dishes unique to the island.
Mauritius’s beautiful beaches are a key draw and with over 160km length including a calm lagoon, almost entirely encircled by coral reef Mauritius is a go-to destination for #beach lovers to love to walk on it to see the sunrise and sunset. Mauritius is known for its natural beauty and scenic views and is a must-visit place for adrenaline junkies. Adventureseekers can try out mountainbiking, riverrafting, trekking, canyoning, ziplining, hiking, and many more. Be it at Ile D’Ambre, Le Morne Brabant, Chamarel, Yemen Natural Reserve or Mamzel Zabeth mountain, you are sure to have a great nature discovery experience.
Mauritius known for its multicultural population enjoys a tropical climate and can be visited throughout the year but best time to visit is from May to December, especially the winter months. Visitors can explore its beaches, nearby islands, wildlife and go for watersports, like surfing, skydiving, fishing, yatching, parasailing, jetskiing, speedboat ride, scubadiving, snorkeling, and much more. Indians get visa on arrival. Cruises on glass-bottom boats, whale watching, dolphine watching, and coralreef gazing are also activities visitors can opt for.
There are numerous places worth visiting and experiencing in Mauritius, these include Mauritius rum, sugar and fruit jams, the Seven Coloured Earths, an underwater waterfall, the Giant water lilies in the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, trees in Black River National Park, ravanne drum, and Sega music, and golf courses. Le Morne Cultural Landscape and Aapravasi Ghat are two UNESCO WorldHeritage Sites in Mauritius. Mauritius is known for its nightlife with numerous watering holes, cafes, nightclub, bar, discotheques for people who wish to let their hair down.
A shoppers delight there are numerous shopping malls in the main city of Port Luis were branded and locally made products are available at good prices. Buyers can go for a variety of handmade products as well. There are numerous hotels, resorts, heritage buildings, and lodges that offer luxurious, mid-range, and budget accommodation to visitors. Restaurants serve variety of cuisine including Indian, French, British and Chinese. Its scenic beauty has made it a must-visit place for bollywood films for shooting. Overall Mauritius is a beautiful place to visit for honeymooners, family, vacationers, adventure seekers, nature lovers or those who seek quiet time.
