Mauritius

Mauritius is an isalnd surrounded almost entirely by coral reef, and with volcanic formation.  The island sits 800 km east of Madagascar, about 560 km off the African mainland.

Facts & Figures

Total Area:2040 sq km                              
Land Borders: islands
Population: 1,240,827                               
Life Expectancy: 73 years                         
HIV % Total Poulation:0.1%
Ethnic Groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Languages:Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3%
President:Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH               
GDP - Per Capita: $13,100

History

Although 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. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.