Mauritius is not far from the Capricorn. That means that the sun is longer at its highest point than anywhere else. We are a tropical island and it is very green here. For sure, there must be some rain coming down here as well…
Usually in winter (means May to October) the highest temperatures vary between 20°C and 26°C in the coastal regions. In summer (November to April) it’s slightly higher, meaning 26°C to 32°C .The water temperature of the Indian Ocean can go up to 28°C. Usually wind is blowing quiet steady from easterly directions.
The rupee (ISO 4217 code: MUR) is the currency of Mauritius. It is divided into 100 cents.
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. 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). Around the plateau, the original crater can still be distinguished from several mountains.
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. Anti-cyclones affect the country during May to September. Cyclones affect the country during November-April. Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two last cyclones to have affected the island.
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 .
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". (This quote is often taken out of context. Twain actually wrote: "From one citizen you gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius. Another one tells you that this is an exaggeration…")
The first record of Mauritius comes from Dravidian and Austronesian sailors as early as the 10th century. The Portuguese sailors first visited it in 1507 and established a visiting base leaving the island uninhabited. 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. 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). 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. In the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) the British set out to gain control of the island. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Mauritius attained independence in 1968 and the country became 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.
Mauritius is currently the richest country in Africa.
1-2 Jan New Year.
Jan or Feb Thaipoosam Cavadee.
26 Jan Chinese New Year.
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day.
Feb Maha Shivaratri.
12 Mar National Day.
Mar or Apr Ougadi.
1 May Labour Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
Sep Ganesh Chathurthi.
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
18 Oct Diwali (Festival of Lights).
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
2 Nov First Labourers' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
(a) Hindu festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon. The dates given above are approximations. (b) There is a diversity of cultures in Mauritius, each with its own set of holidays. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last from two to 10 days, depending on the town or region. (d) Chinese festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence.
As at end 2000 the population of the Republic of Mauritius was estimated at 1,193,464. The island of Mauritius, the main island of the Republic, had an estimated population of around 1,157,290 while the population of Rodrigues was around 35,885. The population of Agalega and Saint Brandon was estimated at around 289.
The population of the Republic grew at a rate of 1.09% in 2000 as against 1.15% in 1999.
The main ethnic groups are: hindus (52%), creoles and franco-mauritians(30%), muslims (15%) and sino-mauritians (3%).
Capital: PORT LOUIS
Population: 1,240,000
Area: 1,865 km2
Time zone: +3 h compared to Italy, +2 h when Italy have daylight saving time.
Languages: The official languages are French and English. In rural areas has spread the Creole
Religions: Hindu majority, with strong minority Christian (mainly Catholic) and Muslim.
Currency: Mauritian Rupee (MUR)
Prefix for Italy: 0039
Prefix from Italy: 00230
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