Mauritius

Government Parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth.

Geography
Mauritius is a mountainous island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.

Historical Background
Known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Facts & Figures

Name

MAURITIUS

Capital

Port Louis

Government

Parliamentary republic

Language

English

Religion

Hindus make up 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christians 8.6%, Muslims 16.6% and non-religious 0.4% while other religions up to 2.5%, and an additional 0.3% didn't specify their religious beliefs

Area

2,040 km2

Population

1,288,000

Currency

Mauritian rupee

National Anthem

Motherland