Mauritius
is a dream destination for visitors. Here, our tourists can tan on sandy
beaches in both summer and winter while the marine breeze blows through
coconut and filao trees. This paradise island bears a lagoon which turns
from royal blue to emerald, varying according to places. The lagoon is
surrounded by one of the longest uninterrupted coral barriers in the world,
a real feast for divers. The island's vegetation, its mountains and magnificent
view points added to the legendary hospitality of its inhabitants make
Mauritius a real paradise. With its 330 kilometres of coastline, the sea
plays a major role when choosing Mauritius as a holiday destination. All
nautical sports like sea ski and navigation amongst others, are practised
here. The inner land is also very attractive. A sample of what cannot
be left unvisited includes the extinct crater of Trou-aux-Cerfs in Curepipe,
the Rochester or the Sept Cascades falls, the Pamplemousses botanical
garden, the Black River gorges, the coloured earth of Chamarel and Bassin
Blanc and the natural lakes of the high plateaus. The Domaine Les Pailles,
the Vanilla Crocodile Park, the Casela bird park with its 140 species
of birds, the Domaine Ylang Ylang, the Domaine du Chasseur and the Le
Val nature park are among the places that tourists must not miss. In the
capital, City Port Louis, apart from the
Central Market and other historical buildings, the Caudan and Port Louis
Waterfronts are to be visited for their shops, restaurants, cinema halls
and a casino. Tourists who may wish to try their luck in any of the casinos
of international standard on the island.
Geography
Situated in the Indian Ocean at latitude 20° south and longitude 57°35 east, Mauritius lies 860 km from Madagascar and 5000 km from the west coast of Australia. The area of the island is 1865 km². The Republic of Mauritius also comprises the island of Rodrigues with an area of 560 km² which lies in the north-east of Mauritius, the island of St Brandon and the Chagos archipelago. The island of Mauritius itself, is surrounded by many islets; Ilot Bernache, Ambre Island, Flat Island, the Gunner's Coin, Round Island, l'Ile aux Cerfs and l'Ile aux Bénitiers, which deserve a visit. The Central Plateau culminates at 800 m above sea level and the highest peak of the island is Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire (828 m).
Climate
Owing to its sub-tropical position, Mauritius knows only two seasons, summer and winter. During summer, which lasts from November to April, the temperature varies from 20°C to 28°C on the Central Plateau and from 25°C to 33°C on the coast. Winter is temperate, with temperature reaching 19°C on the high lands and 24°C on the coast. Normally, heavy rain may occur from December to March while the cyclonic season starts in November to end in March. In summer, the sun rises at 5:30 a.m. to set round 7 p.m. while in winter the hours of daylight are roughly from 6:45 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.
The Economy
The pillars of the Mauritian economy are the sugar industry, the textile products of the free zone and tourism which generate appreciable foreign exchange. The finance sector is fast expanding with a healthy stock exchange, offshore banks and a free port. The national airline company, Air Mauritius offers some 30 destinations to European, Asian and Australian towns. It is interesting to know that the rate of inflation and of unemployment are very low in Mauritius.
History and Constitution
The Arabs visited Mauritius in the 10th century and named it Dina Robin before the island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1510. The island was for them a good source of food and fresh water in the Indian Ocean after the navigator Pedro de Mascarena had named it Swan Island. The Dutch were, however, the first settlers and they named the island Mauritius after their Prince Maurice Van Nassau. Thanks to the Dutch, sugar cane and the Java deer were introduced in the island, but it is also generally agreed that they were responsible for the extinction of ebony and amber as well as the extinction of the Dodo, the symbolical bird of Mauritius. They left the island in 1712. The French, who occupied the island from 1715 to 1810, named it "Isle de France". Mahé de La Bourdonnais, who governed the island from 1735 initiated the construction of the first sugar factory and founded Port-Louis, which became under his governance an important maritime port. In 1810, the English lead by General Abercombie seized the island from the French only six months after having been vanquished by the same French at the naval battle of Vieux Grand Port, which came to be the one and only victory to be won by Napoleon's Navy.
Mauritius gained independence on 12th March 1968 and has since then formed part of the Commonwealth. On 12th March 1992, the island was proclaimed a Republic.
The constitution, based upon the Westminster system, gives political power to the Prime Minister and his cabinet. Elections are held every five years.