Mauritius

The **Republic of Mauritius** is an island nation in the Mascarene Islands. It includes Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon as well as Mauritius. It was formerly ruled by the European countries: France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, but is now independent from these all European Colonies.

Port Louis is its capital. In the 2000 census, the country had a population of 1,178,848 people. The country is prosperous, and trades mainly with South Africa and Indian Sub Continent.
The island of Mauritius was the home of the dodo.

## Location

The island is in the southwest Indian Ocean. It is about  east of Madagascar. The country includes the island of Mauritius as well as the islands of St. Brandon, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands along with the French island of Réunion  to the southwest.

## Flag

The Mauritian flag is made up of four colours of equal width.
The colours represent the following:
- Red represents freedom and independence,
- Blue is for their Indian Ocean which surrounds the island,
- Yellow for the sun, and
- Green for their agriculture.

## History

Mauritius, an island of volcanic origin sheltered by barriers of coral reefs forming natural, safe, crystal clear lagoons, has long been a dream destination. Known to the Arabs as early as the 10th century, but officially explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch in the 17th century. The Dutch were the ones who named the island in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU.
Mauritius was occupied successively by the Dutch (1598-1712) and later by the French (1715-1810). The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing the Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane.
The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars through the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later on, an air station playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. On 12 March 1968, Mauritius became Independent. Following resumed negotiations a treaty was signed on 22 May 2025 that will formally transfer the sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius once it comes into effect, while the Diego Garcia military base remains under British control during a 99-year lease.

## Related pages

- List of rivers of Mauritius
- Mauritius at the Olympics
- Mauritius national football team

## Infobox (country)

- **native name**: _Repiblik Moris
République de Maurice_
- **conventional long name**: Republic of Mauritius
- **common name**: Mauritius
- **image flag**: Flag of Mauritius.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Mauritius.svg
- **symbol type**: Coat of Arms
- **national motto**: _"Stella Clavisque Maris Indici"_<small>(Latin)
"Star and Key of the Indian Ocean"</small>
- **image map**: locationMauritius.png
- **map width**: 220px
- **national anthem**: "Motherland (anthem), Motherland"
- **official languages**: English language, English
French language, French
- **languages type**: Vernacular language
- **languages**: Mauritian Creole
- **languages2 type**: De facto languages
- **languages2**: :English
:French
- **capital**: Port Louis
- **largest city**: capital
- **government type**: Parliamentary Republic
- **leader title1**: List of Presidents of Mauritius, President
- **leader name1**: Prithvirajsing Roopun
- **leader title2**: List of Prime Ministers of Mauritius, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Navin Ramgoolam
- **legislature**: National Assembly of Mauritius, Parliament
- **lower house**: National Assembly of Mauritius, National Assembly
- **sovereignty type**: Independence
- **established event1**: from the United Kingdom
- **established date1**: 12 March 1968
- **established event2**: Republic
- **established date2**: 12 March 1992
- **area rank**: 179th
- **area km2**: 2,040
- **area sq mi**: 787
- **percent water**: 0.05
- **population estimate**: 1,323,483
- **population estimate rank**: 154th
- **population estimate year**: 2015
- **population census**: 1,179,137
- **population census year**: 2000
- **population density km2**: 630
- **population density sq mi**: 1,636.5
- **population density rank**: 18th
- **gdp ppp**: $19.008 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2011
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $1,240,424,746
- **gdp nominal**: $10.299 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2011
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $57,989
- **hdi**: 0.701
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 77th
- **hdi year**: 2011
- **currency**: Mauritian rupee
- **currency code**: MUR
- **time zone**: Mauritius Time, MUT
- **utc offset**: +4
- **time zone dst**: (DST not observed)
- **utc offset dst**: +4
- **date format**: dd/mm/yyyy  (Anno Domini, AD)
- **drives on**: left
- **cctld**: .mu
- **calling code**: 230