Mauritius
Updated: Sep 28, 2022
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Country Name
Mauritius, or officially the Republic of Mauritius.
Location
The Republic of Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean, lies east of Madagascar and on the southeast African coast. Its nearest neighbor is the French island of Réunion.
Capital
Port Louis.
The reason for naming the country
In 1598 a Dutch squadron under Admiral Wybrand Van Warwyck landed at Grand Port and named the island "Mauritius" after Prince Maurice of Nassau (Dutch: Maurits van Nassau) of the Dutch Republic.
Flag
The national flag of Mauritius, also known as the Four Bands and Les Quatre Bandes was adopted on March 12, 1968, after gaining independence from British rule. The flag consists of four horizontal stripes (from top to bottom) red, blue, yellow, and green. The colors used in the flag are the traditional Pan-African colors. The Red color represents the struggles to achieve independence and the blue color represents the Indian Ocean, which surrounds the island. The yellow color represents the bright future of the island after gaining independence and the green color represents the rich nature of Mauritius.
Language
There is no official language in the Mauritian constitution. English and French are generally considered to be de facto national and common languages of Mauritius. Both languages are used widely in Mauritius. They are spoken by a majority of the population and are also used widely in government administration, court proceedings, and business. Educational institutions also use English and French as the primary languages of instruction. The Constitution of the country is written in English while some laws like the Civil Code are written in French. Mauritian Creole is the mother tongue of most Mauritians. Mauritian Creole is the first language of the majority of the population of Mauritius.
Religion
Hinduism is the largest religion in Mauritius, making it the only African country with a Hindu majority. Hindus account for 51.9% of the country's population, while Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists account for 31.4%, 15.3%, and 0.4%, respectively. Other religions and non-religious individuals make up 0.7% and 0.1% of the country’s population, respectively. Most Christians in Mauritius are Roman Catholic. Other Christian denominations include the Church of England, Presbyterian Church, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Most of the Muslims in Mauritius are Sunni Muslims.
Currency
Mauritian rupee (MUR).
Time Zone
+04:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary parliamentary republic.
Climate
Mauritius has a tropical climate, with a hot and rainy season that reaches its peak from January to March, and a relatively cooler and less rainy season from June to September. The islands are in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed in comparison with the Northern hemisphere. The rains, as is common in the tropics, occur primarily in the form of downpours or thunderstorms, which usually do not last long, so the sun shines for a good number of hours even in the wettest months. The best times to visit Mauritius are in May and October. From June to August, and a little less in September, ie in the Southern Hemisphere winter, the weather can get a little cool, and clouds alternate with the sun, with some brief showers. In December, it is hot and nature is in bloom, the air is humid and the rainy season has already begun, but the amount of sunshine is still acceptable. However, in November the wind season begins, and this is a threat to be considered, though winds rarely hit a particular location. From January to March, not only the rains are frequent, but also the air is humid, so the heat is muggy.