Facts about the Republic of Mauritius
What is the Most Important About the Island Country?
Location
The Republic of Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius) and Rodrigues, Agaléga, and St. Brandon. The republic includes also the islands of St. Brendan, Rodrigues and Agalega. The island of Mauritius was discovered in 1507 by Portuguese navigators, having never been inhabited before.
Territory
2020 sq. km. of islands total
Official language
English
Other languages - French, Creole, Patois (French dialect), Bihari, Hindi, Urdu.
Currency
The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee (Rs.) which is divided into 100 cents.
Governance
Parliamentary
The head of state is the president, who is elected by the parliament for a 5-year term. Legislative power - National Assembly (70 deputies), which has a mandate for 5 years. Executive power - Council of Ministers.
National Day
March 12 - Independence Day 1968 12.03.1992 Mauritius became a Republic
Administrative partition
9 counties, 5 cities and 3 territories.
Capital City
Port Louis (180 thousand inhabitants), which is also the largest city. Other cities - Courpine, Maebourg, Port Maturen.
Climate
Mauritius does not have extreme temperatures either in summer or winter and is thus considered a year-round destination. In the central part of the island, at about 600 metres above sea level, temperatures vary from about 18 degrees centigrade in August to about 28 degrees in February. Along coastal areas, the temperature is generally 3-5 degrees higher, and the western and northern regions are generally drier than the East and South. Occasional cyclones can occur during the wettest months from November to March. Daylight hours are approximately 5.30am to 7pm in summer (November to April) and 6.45am to 5.40pm in winter (May to October).
Current climate situation: http://metservice.intnet.mu/
Population
Mauritius was uninhabited until its colonisation. The Dutch who first occupied the island for only 70 years left behind a few slaves. The French who colonised the island in the 18th century settled with their slaves brought from Africa and Madagascar. When the British abolished slavery in 1835, they brought in indentured labour from India to work in the sugarcane fields. Chinese and Muslim traders were attracted to these shores in the 19th century and early 20th centuries. Today the population of 1.2 million is made up of people coming from three continents and the blending of these races gives an interesting mixture of every hue and colour. The main religions of Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism are practised with the celebration of every major feast giving rise to colourful events. In the same area, one can come across a church, a temple, a mosque and a pagoda. Mauritians work, play and pray together demonstrating a harmonious society respectful of each other´s religion.
Transport
Asphalted roads - 1,910 km. There is no railway lines. Major seaport and Port Louis airport. From Sofia to Port Louis - 7,816 km. Car traffic is in the left lane of the roadway.
Electricity
220 Volts
Time zone
UTC+04:00
Internet domain
.mu
Telephone code
+230
Emergency phone numbers
Police/Emergency - 999 , Fire department - 995
