Type: Africa
Mauritius
General Information
History
Mauritius is a 1,865 square kilometre island formed by volcanic eruptions, with reefs surrounding most of island. The island was originally settled by the Dutch in 1598 who named it Mauritius after Prince Maurice de Nassau, the ruler at the time; the Dutch left in 1710. It was then claimed by the French who renamed it Île de France. The British took control of the country during the French Napoleon wars and they changed the name back to Mauritius. Mauritius gained independence on the 12th of March, 1968; with and become a republic in 1992.
Population
Population
1.2 million (UN, 2005).
Population Density
588.24 Per sq km.
People
Indo-Mauritian - (68%)
Creole - (27%)
Sino-Mauritian - (3%)
Franco-Mauritian - (2%)
Capital
Port Louis
Geography
Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean, 2000 km off the coast of Africa, east of Madagascar. From the coast, the land rises to form a broad plain. About 500 km east is Rodrigues Island, to the northeast are the Cargados Carajos Shoals and to the north is Agalega.
Politics
Head of State
President
Sir Anerood Jugnauth
Head of Government
Prime Minister
Navin Ramgoolam since 2005
Religion
Hindu – 52%
Christian – 28%
Muslim – 17%
Other – 3%
Language
Official Language(s)
English
French (with French being the more popular)
Other Language(s)
Creole (a mixture of French and African languages)
Hindi
Bhojpuri
Urdu
Chinese
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz
UK-type three-pin plugs
Round pin attachment plug
Money/Opening Hours
Monetary unit
1 Mauritian rupee = 100 cents
Banking
Monday to Friday
9:30 - 14:30
Saturday
9:30 - 11:30
Shops
Monday to Friday
9:30 - 17:00
Saturday
9:00 - 12:00
Governmental Offices
Monday to Friday
9:00 - 16:00
Saturday
9:00 - 12:00
Other Information
Traveller's cheques in major currencies can be easily exchanged
The government sets the exchange rates so all bank exchange rates are the same.
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visas are widely accepted
GNI per capita
US $4,640 (World Bank, 2005)
GDP
US$11.7 billion
GDP per person
US$10,300
Internet domain
.mu
International dialling code
+230
Time
GMT/UTC plus 4 hours
Holiday’s
- January 1st New Year
- January 29th Chinese New Year*
- February 1st Abolition of Slavery Day
- February 11th Thaipoosam Cavadee*
- February 26th Maha Shivaratri*
- March 12th National Day
- March 30th Ougadi*
- May 1st Labour Day
- August 15th Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- August 29th Ganesh Chaturthi*
- November 2nd Arrival of Indentured Labourers
- October 21st Diwali*
- October 22nd 24th Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)*
- December 25th Christmas Day
- Hindu festival dates are based on religious beliefs hence the dates given above are approximate.
- During the lunar month of Ramadan just before Eid al-Fitr all Muslims fast during the day and eat at night which may disrupt the normal business day
*Based on 2006 may change yearly as based on Religious beliefs.
Visas & Immigration
Visas are required by all except nationals of Commonwealth Countries, European Union Countries, Japan, Scandinavia, and the USA.
Visitors must have an outward bound ticket and proof of enough money for their stay
Passports are required by all and must have at least 6 months to the expiry date
Land Travel
Buses
Buses connect all parts of the island
Taxis
Taxis have white registration plates with black figures
Private taxis have black number plates with white figures
All taxis should have meters
Driving
Driving is on the left
A National licence is required
A Temporary licence is available from the authorities
Clothing
Light, cooling clothes may be needed for summer period. Some woollens may be needed for the cooler evenings. Rain clothes will be needed for the rainy season.
Social Information
The official drinking is 18 years of age
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