Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island, as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, along with nearby Réunion, are part of the Mascarene Islands. The main island of Mauritius, where most of the population is concentrated, hosts the capital and largest city, Port Louis. The country spans 2,040 square kilometres (790 sq mi) and has an exclusive economic zone covering 2,300,000 square kilometres (890,000 sq mi).
The known history of Mauritius begins with its discovery by Arabs and Malays, followed by Europeans and its appearance on maps in the early 16th century. Mauritius was successively colonized by the Netherlands, France and Great Britain, and became independent in 12th March 1968.
Bertrand-François Mahé, comte de La Bourdonnais was a French naval officer and colonial administrator, in the service of the French East India Company.
Mauritius is a multi-ethnic and multi-language society; it is also a plural society with its population mainly composed of four ethnic groups and four major religious groups; it is often depicted as a "rainbow nation". The island of Mauritius did not have any indigenous population; historically, it was characterized by successive waves of European colonization and multiple immigrations. Under the French rule between 1715 and 1810, slaves were imported on the island from mainland Africa and Madagascar; slavery were only abolished in 1835 under the British rule. Indian migrants from Pondicherry first came in Mauritius under the French rule in 1736; The 18th century also saw one the earliest influx of Chinese migrants in Mauritius, who mostly came from Fujian. Under the British rule, more Indian migrants came to Mauritius following the slave emancipation of 1835. Since the 1800s Chinese migrants from Southern China arrived in Mauritius since the 1800s first as indentured labourers and later as free merchants. Since 1860, Hakka immigration started and continued until they become the dominant Chinese population in Mauritius since the beginning of the 20th century. The co-existence of Mauritians of Indian, African, European, and Chinese ancestry eventually led to a sharing of values and cultures, a collective participation in festivals, and an increased understanding between people of different ethnic backgrounds. Mauritians from different cultural backgrounds are very distinct from each other, and it is also highly unpopular to encourage the dissolution of cultural boundaries in Mauritius. In present days, the Mauritian society continues to be culturally and linguistically French-dominated.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Mauritius:
The State House is the official residence of the President of Mauritius. Originally Le Réduit, it was built as a fortress for defence against attack by Pierre Félix Barthelemy David in 1749. The mansion is in Réduit, Moka, near of the University of Mauritius and the end of the Plaines Wilhems District. It used to serve as the residence for former governors of Mauritius, but now it is the residence of the President. It is built on 97 hectares of land. The château has a garden where a multitude of flowers grow, as well as exotic and native trees. The château is open to the public two days a year, in October and March. The house has persisted through history; it was destroyed by a cyclone, rebuilt, and has been renovated since. It is also used by the military.
The cuisine of Mauritius is influenced by the tropical location of the island as well as the cultural diversity which characterizes the country. Mauritian cuisine is a blend of African, Chinese, European and Indian influences in the history of Mauritius. Most of the dishes and practices into the culinary traditions are inspired by French culture, former African slaves, and Indian workers and Chinese migrants arriving during the 19th century. Over the years, communities found in Mauritius have adapted and mixed each other's cuisine to their liking, resulting in the development of Mauritian cuisine. While some popular dishes and desserts are consumed by Mauritians of all ethnic groups or communities, there are also form of cuisines which remain distinctly ethnic and are unique to a specific ethnic community due to their ancestral cultural and historical connections. Local food which varies depending on ethnic communities therefore reflects the strong traditional, cultural, and historical influences of each community.
Mauritius had a life expectancy of 75.17 years in 2014. 39% of Mauritian men smoked in 2014. 13% of men and 23% of women were obese in 2008.
The Open University of Mauritius (OU) is a public university in Mauritius. It offer programmes leading to undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees through open distance learning. OU's headquarters are located in Réduit, Moka.
Guillaume Thierry is a track and field athlete from the Republic of Mauritius. He first represented his country at pole vault in which he competed at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics held in Sherbrooke, Canada. He now competes in the decathlon and holds the Mauritian national record set on 11–12 September 2013 in Nice, France at the VII Francophone Games. He is the first Mauritian ever to score more than 7000 points in this event.
Joe Tshupula is a Belgian–Congolese football director who is the head of the Academie de Football Nord in Mauritius.
The Metro Express Ltd is a light rail public transport system in Mauritius.
Firoz Abdul Cader Ghanty was a Mauritian painter, poet, and activist.
The 1975 Mauritian student protest riots refer to a students' protest marches which turned violent in various parts of the island of Mauritius, Indian Ocean on Tuesday 20 May 1975.
Sir Victor Joseph Patrick Glover was a Mauritian lawyer, judge and Chief Justice who played an active role in legal and judicial matters on the island of Mauritius.
Basdeo Bissoondoyal was a Mauritian social worker, educator and writer who played an important role in the pre-Independence politics and independence movement on the island of Mauritius. He is also sometimes referred to as "Pandit Basdeo Bissoondoyal" or "Professor Basdeo Bissoondoyal".
Sir Satcam Boolell GCSK, MP, QC, Kt was a Mauritian politician who served as member of the Legislative Assembly in Mauritius. He died on March 23, 2006 in Curepipe. He was also known as "Somduth" by his peers and family members.
1951 La Citadelle murders or L'affaire Pic Pac refer to the two murders which took place at Fort Adelaide or "La Citadelle" in the capital city Port Louis, on the island of Mauritius in 1951.
Paramhamsa Nababsing, more commonly known as Prem Nababsing, was a Mauritian politician and MMM minister.
