Mauritius - Introduction and Background of Mauritius . Free Classifieds People Search Country Flags Country Maps Travel Warnings Travel Links Hotels of World Travel Directory Embassies Cities of World Travel Forum ISD-Codes Currency Convt. E-Deals Tours Hotels Cars Transfer Flights Books Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. Its chief island, also called Mauritius, lies about 800 kilometres east of Madagascar and about 4,000 kilometres southwest of India.
Overpopulation is one of the country's problems.
Sugar-cane fields cover about half of the island. Bare, black volcanic peaks tower over the sugarcane fields. Sugar is the island's chief product. The Dutch claimed Mauritius in 1598. Mauritius gained its independence in 1968.