Mauritius i/məˈrɪʃəs/ (Mauritian Creole: Moris; French: Maurice, pronounced: [mɔˈʁis]), officially the Republic of Mauritius (Mauritian Creole: Republik Moris; French: République de Maurice) is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 870 kilometres (540 mi) east of Madagascar. Sony VAIO PCG-3B1M Battery
In addition to the island of Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and theAgalega Islands. Mauritius Island is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 170 km (110 mi) to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues 570 km (350 mi) to the east. The area of Mauritius is 2040 km2; its capital city is Port Louis. Sony VAIO PCG-3C1T Battery
The United Kingdom took control of the islands in 1810, from France during the Napoleonic Wars, and Mauritius became independent from the UK in 1968. It is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the United Nations,Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the African Union, La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations. Sony VAIO PCG-3D1M Battery
The main languages spoken in Mauritius are Mauritian Creole, French and English. English is the only official language but the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole and the newspapers and television programmes are usually in French. Asian languages also form part of the linguistic mosaic.[1] The country's populace is composed of several ethnicities, including Indian, African, Chinese and French. Sony VAIO PCG-3G2M Battery
The first European explorers found no indigenous people living on the island. The island of Mauritius was the only home of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus). This bird was easy prey to settlers because of its weight and inability to fly, and became extinct fewer than eighty years after the initial European colonization.[6] Sony VAIO PCG-5R1M Battery
Being dependent on sugar production since its independence, Mauritius has since developed to a diversified economy with important pillars in financial services, business process outsourcing, tourism and information technology. Mauritius is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank.[7] Sony VAIO PCG-7141M Battery
It has been ranked as the best governed country in all of Africa, five years in a row, finishing on top of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance.[8][9]According to the Democracy Index, Mauritius is the only African country with “full” democracy.[10]
Mauritius has adopted the British constitutional and administrative system with an elected chamber for members of parliament and a President (Sony VAIO PCG-7143M Battery
who is the Head of State) elected from the parliament and not through universal suffrage. The main source of law remains British common law, with elements of France's Code Napoléon also being used, a legacy of pre-1810 French colonisation.
Mauritius was first named 'Dina Arobi by Arab sailors during the Middle Ages who was also the first people to visit the island. Sony VAIO PCG-7151M Battery
In 1507 Portuguese sailors visited the uninhabited island and the island appears with a Portuguese nameCirne on early Portuguese maps, probably because of the presence of the flightless bird, the dodo which was abundant at that time. Another Portuguese sailor, Dom Pedro Mascarenhas, Sony VAIO PCG-7154M Battery
gave the name Mascarenes to the group of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion. In 1598 a Dutch squadron under Admiral Wybrand Van Warwyck landed at Grand Port and named the island Mauritius, in honour of Prince Maurits van Nassau, stadtholder of theDutch Republic. Sony VAIO PCG-7162M Battery
France, which already controlled neighbouring Île Bourbon (now Réunion), took control of Mauritius in 1715 and later renamed it Île de France (literally, Isle of France). On 3 December 1810 the French formally surrendered after the Napoleonic wars. Under British rule, the island's name reverted to Mauritius i/məˈrɪʃəs/.Sony VAIO PCG-7181M Battery
Mauritius is also commonly known as Maurice(pronounced: [mɔˈʁis]) and Île Maurice in French, Moris in creole and मॉरिशस in Hindi.
The island of Mauritius was unknown and uninhabited before its first recorded visit, by Arab sailors during the Middle Ages who named it Dina Arobi. Sony VAIO PCG-41112M Battery
In 1507Portuguese sailors visited the uninhabited island and established a visiting base. Portuguese navigator Diogo Fernandes Pereira was probably the first Europeanto land on the island at around 1511. The island appears with a Portuguese name 'Cirne' on early Portuguese maps, probably because of the presence of the dodo, a flightless bird which was found in great numbers at that time. Sony VAIO PCG-7153M Battery
Another Portuguese sailor, Dom Pedro Mascarenhas, gave the name Mascarenes to the group of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion. The Portuguese did not stay long as they were not interested in these islands.[11]
Dutch period
In 1598 a Dutch squadron under Admiral Wybrand Van Warwyck landed at Grand Port and named the island "Mauritius",Sony VAIO PCG-71312M Battery
in honour of Prince Maurits van Nassau,stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. However, it was not until 1638 that there was a first attempt of Dutch settlement. It was from here that Dutch navigator Abel Tasman set out to discover the western part of Australia. The first Dutch settlement lasted only twenty years. Sony VAIO PCG-7144M Battery
Several attempts were subsequently made, but the settlements never developed enough to produce dividends and the Dutch abandoned Mauritius in 1710. They are remembered for the introduction of sugar-cane,domestic animals, and deer.[11]
French period
France, which already controlled neighbouring Île Bourbon (now Réunion), Sony VAIO PCG-7191L Battery
took control of Mauritius in 1715 and later renamed it Île de France (literally, Island of France). The 1735 arrival of French governor Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais coincided with development of a prosperous economy based on sugar production. Mahé de La Bourdonnais established Port Louis as a naval base and a shipbuilding centre. Sony VAIO PCG-3C1M Battery
Under his governorship, numerous buildings were erected, a number of which are still standing today - part of Government House, the Chateau de Mon Plaisir atPamplemousses, and the Line Barracks. The island was under the administration of the French East India Company which maintained its presence until 1767.[11] Sony VAIO PCG-3F1M Battery
From 1767 to 1810, except for a brief period during the French Revolution when the inhabitants set up a government virtually independent of France, the island was controlled by officials appointed by the French Government. Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre visited the island and wrote Paul et Virginie, a successful novel situated on the island. Sony VAIO PCG-3H1M Battery
In particular Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen, a successful general in the French Revolutionary Wars and, in some ways, a rival of Napoléon I, ruled as Governor General of Mauritius and Réunion from 1803 to 1810. British naval cartographer and explorer Matthew Flinders was arrested and detained by General Decaen on the island for most of this period, in contravention of an order from Napoléon. Sony VAIO PCG-3J1M Battery
During this period, during the Napoleonic Wars, Île de France became a base from which French corsairs organised successful raids on British commercial ships. The raids continued until 1810, when a strong Royal Navy expedition led by Commodore Josias Rowley, R.N., an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, was sent to capture the island. Sony VAIO PCG-8141M Battery
Despite winning the Battle of Grand Port, the only French naval victory over the British during these wars, the French surrendered to a British invasion at Cap Malheureux three months later. They formally surrendered on 3 December 1810, on terms allowing settlers to keep their land and property and to use the French language and law of France in criminal and civil matters. Sony VAIO PCG-8161M Battery
Under British rule, the island's name reverted to Mauritius.[11]
British period
The British administration, which began with Sir Robert Farquhar as Governor, was followed by rapid social and economic changes. Slavery was abolished in 1835. The planters received two million pounds sterling in compensation for the loss of their slaves who had been imported from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation. Sony VAIO PCG-3C2M Battery
The abolition of slavery had important repercussions on the socio-economic and demographic fields. The planters turned to India, bringing in a large number of indentured labourers to work in the sugar cane fields. Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured labourers were present on the island. They worked on sugar estates, factories, in transport and construction sites. Sony VAIO PCG-5N2M Battery
Additionally, the British brought 8,740 Indian soldiers to the islands.
Indians mainly originated from Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. The first group arrived in 1721 from Bengal and Pondicherry. Most were Bengali or Tamil. Port-Louis was divided into three sectors, with the Indian community in the eastern suburb of ‘Camp de Malabar’. Sony VAIO PCG-5P1M Battery
A great number of Hindus from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were brought as indentured labourers. There was also massive immigration from Madagascar, Southern and Eastern Africa, Mozambique and the Comoro Islands (French: Les Comores). Chinese immigrants, who were in commerce, also arrived later, and the colony was transformed into a predominantly Asiatic population. Sony VAIO PCG-5S1M Battery
The expanding marketing sector also attracted many traders from Northern India.
As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the old Franco-Mauritian élite, and their Creole allies, to the Indo-Mauritians. Cultivation of sugar cane flourished, mainly for export as sugar to Great Britain. Sony VAIO PCG-9Z1M Battery
Economic progress saw improvement of the means of communication and a gradual upgrading of infrastructure.
Following constitutional conferences held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was introduced and a General Election was held on 9 March 1959. Sony VAIO PCG-7171M Battery
Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. A Constitutional Review Conference was held in London in 1961 and a programme of further constitutional advance was established. The last constitutional conference, held in 1965, paved the way for Mauritius to achieve independence. Sony VAIO PCG-7186M Battery
After a General Election in 1967, Mauritius adopted a new constitution and independence was proclaimed on 12 March 1968. Mauritius became independent as a Commonwealth realm, becoming a republic within the Commonwealth some twenty-four years later on 12 March 1992.[11] Sony VAIO PCG-81112M Battery
Politics
Politics of Mauritius takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, in which the President is the head of state and thePrime Minister is the head of government who is assisted by a Council of Ministers. Sony VAIO PCG-31311M Battery
Mauritius has a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Government. Legislative power is vested in both the Government and the National Assembly. The absolute power is split between two positions: the President and the Prime Minister.
Parliament
The National Assembly is Mauritius's unicameral parliament, which was called the Legislative Assembly until 1992, when the country became a republic. Sony VAIO PCG-8152M Battery
It consists of 70 members, 62 elected for four-year terms in multi-member constituencies and 8 additional members, known as "best losers", appointed by the Supreme Court to ensure that ethnic and religious minorities are equitably represented. The president is elected for a five-year term by the parliament. Sony VAIO PCG-31111M Battery
The island of Mauritius is divided into 20 constituencies returning three members each and that of Rodrigues is a single constituency returning two members. After a general election, the Electoral Supervisory Commission may nominate up to a maximum of 8 additional members in accordance with section 5 of the First Schedule of the Constitution with a view to correct any imbalance in community representation in Parliament. Sony VAIO PCG-61111M Battery
This system of nominating members is commonly called the best loser system.
The political party or party alliance which wins the majority of seats in Parliament forms the government and its leader usually becomes the Prime Minister. It is the Prime Minister who selects the members of the composition of the Cabinet from elected members of the Assembly, Sony VAIO PCG-51112M Battery
except for the Attorney General, who may not be an elected member of the Assembly. The political party or alliance which has the second largest majority forms the Official Opposition and its leader is normally nominated by the President of the Republic as the Leader of the Opposition. Sony VAIO PCG-51211M Battery
The Assembly elects a Speaker, a Deputy Speaker and a Deputy Chairman of Committees as some of its first business.
Government
Historically Mauritius has been occupied by the Dutch, the French and the British Crowns, before being able to pursue general elections and form their own government. Sony VAIO PCG-51212M Battery
The Dutch occupation during the late 1600´s was short, of 20 years only and wasn´t so memorable if it were not because of the "introduction of sugar-cane, domestic animals and deer." After the Dutch, the French occupied Mauritius and took it as a colony between the 1715 and 1810. The main footprint the French left were the constructions of ports. Sony VAIO PCG-41111M Battery
There was a period during the French Revolution where the Mauritius people established a government of their own, independently of France. After the Revolution, France regained control. The British Crown took control of the island in 1810, after some raids and confrontations with the French. Sony VAIO PCG-41111V Battery
A British colonial administration was thus formed, lasting until March 1968.[1] Mauritius is now a democracy with a Government elected every five years. The most recent General Election was held on 5 May, 2010, in all the 20 mainland constituencies, as well as the constituency covering the island of Rodrigues. Sony VAIO PCG-61412V Battery
Historically, elections have tended to be a contest between two major coalitions of parties. The 2011 Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranked Mauritius first in good governance, the index measures governance using a number of different variables, Mauritius' government earned the highest rank for Sony VAIO PCG-71112M Battery
"Safety and Rule of Law" and "Sustainable Economic Opportunity" as well as earning the highest score in the index overall. Mauritius came second in "Participation and Human Rights" and "Human Development".According to the 2011 Democracy Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit that measures the state of democracy in 167 countries, Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery
Mauritius ranks 24th worldwide and is the only African country with “full” democracy.
Mauritius has a functioning legal system based on elements of British common law and French civil law.[12] Crime rate reduced from 4.3 per 1,000 population in 2009 to 3.6 per 1,000 population in 2010.[13] The judiciary is independent, and trials are fair. Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery
The legal system is generally non-discriminatory and transparent. Expropriation is unlikely. Enforcement of laws regarding intellectual property rights is relatively effective. The Independent Commission Against Corruption investigates offenses and can confiscate the proceeds of corruption and money laundering. Mauritius is one of Africa’s least corrupt countries.[14] Sony VAIO PCG-81212M Battery
Foreign relations
Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West, as well as with India and the countries of southern and eastern Africa. It is a member of the World Trade Organization, the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, theSouthern Africa Development Community, Sony VAIO PCG-81212V Battery
the Indian Ocean Commission, COMESA, and the recently formed Indian Ocean Rim Association. Trade, commitment to democracy, and the country's small size are driving forces behind Mauritian foreign policy. The country's political heritage and dependence on Western markets have led to close ties with the European Union and its member states, Sony VAIO PCG-51111M Battery
particularly the United Kingdom and France, which exercises sovereignty over neighboring Reunion Island. Considered part of Africa geographically, Mauritius has friendly relations with other African states in the region, particularly South Africa, by far its largest continental trading partner. Sony VAIO VPCS13X9E/B battery
Mauritian investors are gradually entering African markets, notably Madagascar and Mozambique. Mauritius coordinates much of its foreign policy with the Southern Africa Development Community and the Organization of African Unity. Relations with France and India are strong for both historical and commercial reasons. Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery
Foreign embassies in Mauritius include Australia, the United Kingdom, People's Republic of China,Egypt, France, India, Madagascar, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States. Mauritius is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery
Mauritius is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago.[15] Together with Réunion and Rodrigues, Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands. These islands have emerged from the abysses as a result of gigantic underwater volcanic eruptions that happened thousands of kilometres to the east of the continental block made up by Africa and Madagascar.[15] Sony VAIO VPCF13M8E/B battery
They are no longer volcanically active, and the hotspot now rests under Réunion. There has been no active volcano on the island for more than 100,000 years.[15] Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 meters to 800 meters above sea level. Sony VAIO VPCF13Z0E/B battery
The land rises from coastal plains to a central plateau where it reaches a height of 670 meters, the highest peak is in the southwest, Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire at 828 metres (2,717 ft).[15] Streams and rivers speckle the island; a lot of them are formed in the cracks created by lava flows. Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/L battery
The country is situated some 2,000 kilometres (1242 miles) off the south East coast of Africa, between Latitudes 19°58.8' and 20°31.7' South and Longitudes57°18.0' and 57°46.5' East.[16][17] The island of Mauritius is 65 km long and 45 km wide[18] and has a total land area of some 1,864.8 km2,[3] Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/W battery
it is surrounded by more than 150 kilometres (93 miles) of white sandy beaches and the lagoons are protected from the open sea by the world’s third largest coral reef, which surrounds the island.[17] Just off the Mauritian coast lie some 49 uninhabited islands and islets (see Islets of Mauritius), some of them are used as natural reserves for the protection of endangered species. Sony VAIO VPCF22M1E battery
The total land area of the country, as per the Mauritius geography, is 2040 km2,[3] making it the 181st largest nation in the world by size. Mauritian territory also incorporates the island of Rodrigues, which is situated some 560 kilometers to the east and is 104 km2 in area.[3][19] Two tiny dependencies, Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E/H battery
the Agalega Islands situated some 1,000 km to the north of Mauritius and the Cargados Carajos Shoals (also known as the St. Brandon Rocks) situated some 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius,[19] both with total land area of 71.2 km2.[3] Mauritius and France both claim sovereignty over Tromelin, small islands that lie 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius. Sony VAIO VPCF13M0E/B battery
Their location permits the nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to cover about 1.2 million square kilometers of theIndian Ocean.[20] Four fishing banks fall within EEZ limits, the Soudan Banks (including East Soudan Bank), Nazareth Bank, Saya de Malha Bank, Hawkins Bank. Sony VAIO VPCYB2M1E battery
In 2011 the United Nations endorsed the joint submission of Mauritius and Seychelles to extend their continental shelf of 396,000 km2 in the Mascarene region which gives the two countries sovereign right to jointly manage and exploit the seabed and subsoil of the joint area.
Mauritius sought to regain sovereignty, lost just before independence in 1968, Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E battery
over the Chagos Archipelago (1,931 kilometers to the northeast) which includes the Diego Garcia atoll, all of which comprise the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Forty years ago its population then numbering some 2,000 people, were expelled by the British government to Mauritius and Seychelles to allow the United States to establish a military base on the island. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E battery
Today the exiledChagossians are still fighting to go back to their homeland, claiming that the forced expulsion and dispossession (see Depopulation of Diego Garcia) was illegal.[6][24]
Environment
The environment in Mauritius is typically tropical in the coastal regions with forests in the mountainous areas. Sony VAIO VPCS12L9E/B battery
Seasonal cyclones are destructive to the flora and fauna, although they recover quickly. The air quality in Mauritius is one of the best in the world, Mauritius ranked second in an air quality index released by the World Health Organization (OMS).[25][26]
Situated near the tropic of Capricorn, Mauritius has a tropical climate. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E/B battery
There are 2 seasons: a warm humid summer from November to April, with a mean temperature of 24.7° and a relatively cool dry winter from June to September with a mean temperature of 20.4°. The temperature difference between the seasons is only 4.3°. The warmest months are January and February with average day maximum temperature reaching 29.2°Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E/R Battery
and the coolest months are July and August when average night minimum temperatures drops down to 16.4°. Annual rainfall ranges from 900 mm on the coast to 1,500 mm on the central plateau. Although there is no marked rainy season, most of the rainfall occurs in summer months. Sea temperature in the lagoon varies from 22° to 27°. Sony VAIO VPCF23P1E Battery
The central plateau is much cooler than the surrounding coastal areas and can experience as much as double the rainfall. The prevailing trade winds keep the East side of the island cooler and also tend to bring the rain. There can also be a marked difference in temperature and rainfall from one side of the island to the other. Sony VAIO VPCF23N1E Battery
Occasional tropical cyclones generally occurs between January to March and tend to disrupt the weather for only about three days bringing a lot of rain in the region.[27]
Biodiversity
The country is home to some of the world's rarest plants and animals. But human habitation and the introduction of non-native species have threatened its indigenous flora and fauna.[6] Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery
Due to its volcanic origin, age, isolation and its unique terrain Mauritius is blessed with a diversity of flora and fauna not usually found in such a small area. Before its discovery by the Portuguese in 1507, there were no terrestrial mammals on the island. This allowed the evolution of a number of flightless birds and large reptile species. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/G battery
The arrival of man saw the introduction of invasive alien species and the rapid destruction of habitat and the loss of much of the endemic flora and fauna. Less than 2% of the native forest that once stretched from the mountain tops of the central plateau to the shore now remains, Sony VAIO VPCF24M1E battery
concentrated in the Black River Gorges National Park in the south west, the Bamboo Mountain Range in the south east and the Moka-Port Louis Ranges in the north west. There are also some isolated mountains which are important e.g. Corps de Garde, and Le Morne Brabant, and several offshore islands with remnants of coastal and mainland diversity. Sony VGP-BPL13 Battery
Over 100 species of plants and animals have become extinct and many more are threatened. Conservation activities began some 25 years ago with the implementation of programmes for the reproduction of threatened bird and plant species as well as habitat restoration in the National Parks and Nature Reserves.[28] Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery
Dodo
When it was discovered, the island of Mauritius was the home of a previously unknown species of bird, which the Portuguese named the dodo (simpleton), as they appeared to be not too bright. Dodos were descendents of a type of pigeon which settled in Mauritius over 4 million years ago. Sony VGP-BPS13/B Battery
With no predators to attack them, they lost their need and ability to fly. They lived and nested on the ground and ate fruits that had fallen from trees. There were no mammals on the island and a high diversity of bird species lived in the dense forests. In 1505, the Portuguese became the first humans to set foot on Mauritius. Sony VGP-BPS13/S Battery
The island quickly became a stopover for ships engaged in the spice trade. Weighing up to 50 pounds, the dodo was a welcome source of fresh meat for the sailors. Large numbers of dodos were killed for food. Later, when the Dutch used the island as a penal colony, domesticated animals were brought to the island along with the convicts. Sony VGP-BPS13/S Battery
Many of the ships that came to Mauritius also had rats aboard, some of which escaped onto the island. Before humans and other mammals arrived the dodo had little to fear from predators. The rats, pigs and monkeys ate dodo eggs in the ground nests. The combination of human exploitation and introduced species significantly reduced the dodo population. Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery
Within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius, the once abundant dodo became a rare bird. The last one was killed in 1681.[29] The dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national Coat of arms of Mauritius.
The population estimate (as of 1 July 2011) for the whole republic is 1,286,340, of whom 633,916 were males and 652,424 females. Sony VGP-BPS13A/S Battery
For the island of Mauritius only it is 1,248,129 and Rodrigues island 37,922. Agalega and St. Brandon had an estimated population of 289.[3] Mauritian society includes people from many different ethnic groups. The republic's residents are the descendants of people from India (Indo-Mauritian), Sony VGP-BPS13AS Battery
continental Africa (Mauritian Creole people usually known as 'Creoles' in Mauritian creole), France (Franco-Mauritian) and China (Sino-Mauritian), among other places. In 2011, Mauritius was ranked third in Africa in the Human Development Index and 78th out of 187 countries worldwide.[5] Sony VGP-BPS13B/B Battery
Language
The Mauritian Constitution makes no mention of an official language and its one million citizens speak mostly Mauritian Creole (a French-based creole), English and French.[30] It is only in the Parliament that the official language is English, although any member of the National Assembly can still address the chair in French.[2] Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery
However, English is generally accepted as the official language of Mauritius and as the language of government administration, the courts and business. The constitution of Mauritius and all laws are written in English. In Mauritius, people switch languages according to the situation. French and English, which have long enjoyed greater social status, Sony VGP-BPS13B/S Battery
are favored in educational and professional settings.[31][32] Also, most newspapers and media communications are in French.[30][33] The Mauritian Creole, derived mainly from French with influences from the other dialects, is spoken by the majority of the population and is considered the country's native language.[30] Sony VGP-BPS13Q Battery
Rodriguan Creole and Agalega Creole are spoken by people from Rodrigues and Agalega islands. Some ancestral languages which are also spoken in Mauritius include Hindi or Bhojpuri, Marathi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Chinese languages (Hakka or Cantonese) and Arabic.[31] School students must learn English and French; Sony VGP-BPS13S Battery
they also have the option to study oriental languages including Mauritian Creole, the medium of instruction varies from schools.[30] The Mauritian population is multilingual; most Mauritians are equally fluent in English and French.[17][30][34]
Education
The education system in Mauritius is largely based on the British system since Mauritius was a former British colony. Sony VGP-BPL21 Battery
The government of Mauritius provides free education to its citizens from pre-primary to tertiary levels. Since July 2005, the government also introduced free transport for all students. For the year 2011, government expenditure on education was estimated at about Rs 11,709 million, representing 12.5 % of total expenditure.[35] Sony VGP-BPS21 Battery
The education system in Mauritius is categorized into 4 main sectors – pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary. The education structure consist of 3 years of pre-primary school, six years of free and compulsory primary schooling leading to the Certificate of Primary Education, Sony VGP-BPS21/S Battery
followed by five years of secondary education leading to the School Certificate and a further two years of higher secondary ending with the Higher School Certificate. The O-Level and A-Level examinations are carried out by the University of Cambridge through University of Cambridge International Examinations, Sony VGP-BPS21A Battery
which devises the syllabus; prepares and prints the examinations papers and does the correction for a few subjects. The Tertiary Education sector includes studying at the colleges, universities and other technical institutions in Mauritius. The country's two main public universities are the University of Mauritius and University of Technology. Sony VGP-BPS21A/B Battery
The Tertiary Education Commission's Strategic Plan envisages Mauritius as a regional knowledge hub and a centre for higher learning and excellence. It promotes open and distance learning to increase access to post-secondary education and lifelong learning, both locally and regionally.[36] Sony VGP-BPS21B Battery
Health
The Ministry of Health in Mauritius looks after the Mauritius - Health & Safety issues. The health and safety regulations cover the citizens but also the tourists and travellers coming from abroad.
"The health services in Mauritius operate through five regions with separate arrangements in line with Government’s policy to decentralise health services.
The management of each of the five health regions is under the responsibility of a Regional Health Director. The Ministry has also set up Regional Health Boards, comprising different stakeholders, including members of the community in each of the five health regions. Sony VAIO VPC S11V9E/B Battery
2. The five regional, three district and five specialised hospitals in Mauritius provide secondary and tertiary services. A country-wide network of Area Health Centres, Medi-clinics, and Community Health Centres and a Community Hospital provide access to comprehensive primary care, including medical, nursing, family planning, ante-natal and dispensary services. Sony VAIO VPCB119GJ/B Battery
The regional hospitals and primary care centres or facilities are supported by a wide range of clinical and non-clinical services."[3]
Economy
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculture-based economy to a middle-income diversified economy. Sony VAIO VPCB11AGJ Battery
The economy is based on tourism, textiles, sugar, and financial services. In recent years, information and communication technology, seafood, hospitality and property development, healthcare, renewable energy, and education and training have emerged as important sectors, attracting substantial investment from both local and foreign investors. Sony VAIO VPCB11AVJ Battery
Mauritius embarked on a multi-sector reform agenda in 2006 with the objective of improving the competitiveness of the economy. These reforms had considerable success in accelerating the rate of growth, reducing unemployment and speeding up the pace of diversification of the economy through the development of new sectors. Sony VAIO VPCB11V9E Battery
The reforms created fiscal space to allow the authorities to perform a comprehensive, well-targeted, and temporary counter-cyclical policy in early 2009 to mitigate the negative impacts of the globalfinancial crisis. The fiscal stimulus contributed to absorb the shock of the 2007/08 global crisis, Sony VAIO VPCB11X9E Battery
which was reinforced in August 2010, with a second four percent of GDP stimulus package to cushion the impact of theEuropean sovereign-debt crisis. Since 2010, the government embarked on a second generation reform program to continue improving Mauritius’ competitiveness as it transitions to more diversified export markets, Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/P Battery
ensuring also that inclusive growth reaches the entire population.[37] Mauritius has no exploitable natural resources and therefore depends on imported petroleum products to meet most of its energy requirements. Local and renewable energy sources are biomass, hydro, solar and wind energy. Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/R Battery
Mauritius has one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones in the world, in 2012 the government announced its intention to develop the Ocean Economy.[40]
Mauritius has one of the most stable and successful economies in Africa and is ranked high in terms of competitiveness, Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/W Battery
investment climate, governance and freest economy, the Gross Domestic Product estimate was at $20.225 billion and GDP per capita income over $15,595 in 2012, one of the highest in Africa.[41][42][8][14][4] Mauritius is a upper middle income economy with its GNI per capita at US$8,230 in 2011.[7] Sony VAIO VPCCW19FJ/W Battery
For the fourth consecutive year, the World Bank’s 2012 Ease of Doing Business report ranks Mauritius first among African economies and 23rd worldwide out of 183 economies in terms of ease of doing business.[42] Mauritius has built its success on a free market economy, according to the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, Sony VAIO VPCCW1AFJ Battery
Mauritius leads Africa in economic freedom and is ranked 8th worldwide. The report’s ranking of 183 countries is based on measures of economic openness, regulatory efficiency, rule of law, and competitiveness. Sony VAIO VPCCW1AHJ Battery
Mauritius is the largest foreign investor in India, FDI inflows to India, from April 2000 to December 2011 amounts to US$62,470.80 million which account for more than 39% of total inflow.[43] Mauritius's real GDP growth rate remains strong although it is estimated to have marginally slowed down to 4.1% in 2011 from 4.2% in 2010, Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E Battery
with projections showing moderate growth at 4.0% in 2012 as the euro area, the country’s main export destination, falls into another recession.[44]
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/B Battery
financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This compares very favourably with other sub-Saharan African countries and is largely due to sustained progress in economic conditions; between 1977 and 2008, growth averaged 4.6% compared with a 2.9% average in sub-Saharan Africa.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/L Battery
Also important is that it has achieved what few fast growing economies achieve, a more equitable income distribution and inequality (as measured by the Gini coefficient) fell from 45.7 to 38.9 between 1980 and 2006.[2] This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/P Battery
Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/R Battery
many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Mauritius has attracted US$10.98 billion in Foreign direct investment inflows. Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/W Battery
Top sectors attracting FDI inflows from Mauritius (from January 2000 to December, 2005) are electrical equipment, telecommunications, fuels, cement & gypsum products and services sector (financial & non-financial).
With a well-developed legal and commercial infrastructure and a tradition of entrepreneurship and representative government, Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/B Battery
Mauritius is one of the developing world’s most successful democracies. The economy has shown a considerable degree of resilience, and an environment already conducive to dynamic entrepreneurial activity has moved further toward economic freedom. The island’s institutional advantages are noticeable. Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/L Battery
A transparent and well-defined investment code and legal system have made the foreign investment climate in Mauritius one of the best in the region. Taxation is competitive and efficient. The economy is increasingly diversified, with significant private-sector activity in sugar, tourism, economic processing zones, and financial services, particularly in offshore enterprises. Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/R Battery
The government is trying to modernize the sugar and textile industries, which in the past were overly dependent on trade preferences, while promoting diversification into such areas as information and communications technology, financial and business services, seafood processing and exports, and free trade zones. Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/W Battery
Agriculture and industry have become less important to the economy, and services, especially tourism, accounted for over 72 percent of GDP. The government still owns utilities and controls imports of rice, flour, petroleum products, and cement.
Mauritius has followed a pragmatic development strategy in which liberalisation process was sequenced and tailored to its competitive advantages and weaknesses.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW26EC Battery
The export-orientated approach has encouraged liberalisation supported by strong state involvement as a facilitator (of the enabling environment for the private sector); as operator (to encourage competition); and as regulator (to protect the economy as well as vulnerable groups and sectors from shocks).[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW26FX/B Battery
Strategies were evidence-based and adapted according to results.[2] There has been consistency and stability, regardless of which political party is in power.[2]
Liberalisation occurred in phases that were initiated to build on advantages the economy enjoyed on the international market.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW28EC Battery
1970s: Mauritius profited from sugar rents, established an export processing zone EPZ and successfully attracted capital and foreign investment in manufacturing.
1980s-1990s: EPZ expanded and led to a significant increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) and tourism. Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/P Battery
Preferential access to sugar and clothing markets amounted to 7% of GDP in the 1980s and 4.5% in the 1990s, capital and current accounts were liberalised, contributing to an investment and employment boom and the high inflow of FDI brought with it managerial skills.
1990s-2010: Further diversification, liberalisation and investment. Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/R Battery
Concerted strategy of nation building
A concerted strategy of nation building since Independence created the foundations for sustained growth.[2]Partnerships across ethnic groups allowed economic redistribution to be negotiated and the resulting better balance of economic and political power allowed strong and independent institutions.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/W Battery
The emerging political system encouraged a consultative approach to policy formation that allowed strategies for growth to be continued regardless of changes in the parties in power.[2]
Strong and inclusive institutions
Strong institutions are critical in ensuring country’s competitiveness, economic resilience and stability.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW29FJ/W Battery
They have supported development strategies and ensured that export earnings are reinvested in strategic and productive sectors. In the financial sector they have built a regulated and well-capitalised banking and financial system that protected it from toxic assets prior to the 2008 global financial crisis.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW2AFJ Battery
Corruption Law
Mauritius ranks 41st out of 179 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2008, an improvement over 2007. Mauritius is one of Africa’s least corrupt countries. In 2002, the government adopted the Prevention of Corruption Act, which led to the setting up of an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) a few months later. Sony VAIO VPCCW2AHJ Battery
The ICAC has the power to detect and investigate corruption and money-laundering offenses and can also confiscate the proceeds of corruption and money laundering. Corruption is not seen as an obstacle to foreign direct investment.
High levels of equitable public investment
Mauritius has a strong human capital foundation developed through consistent and equitable investment in human development.[2] Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E Battery
This enabled Mauritius to exploit advantages, learn from expertise brought in through FDI and maintain competitiveness in a fast evolving international market.[2] Education and health services are free and have been expanded in recent years, in order to create further employment opportunities and ensuring inclusive growth. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/B Battery
The educated and adaptable workforce were essential elements of 1980s export-orientated growth.[2] Around 90% of entrepreneurs in the export processing zone (EPZ) and in the manufacturing sector were Mauritian nationals, businesspeople had the human capital, education and knowledge needed to exploit market opportunities. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/L Battery
The rupee (sign: ₨; ISO 4217 code: MUR) is the currency of Mauritius. It is theoretically divided into 100 cents; however, as at October 2011, only 5 and 20 cent coins, are currently in circulation, the latest mintage of these two coins was in 2010. A Half Rupee coin is also in circulation. The rupee was established by law in 1876 as the local currency of Mauritius. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/P Battery
The rupee was chosen due to the massive inflow of Indian rupees following Indian immigration to Mauritius. The Mauritian rupee was introduced in 1877, replacing the Indian rupee, sterling and the Mauritian dollar, with the Mauritian rupee equal to one Indian rupee or half a Mauritian dollar. The pound was worth 10¼ rupees at that time. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/R Battery
The Mauritian currency also circulated in the Seychelles until 1914, when it was replaced by the Seychellois rupee at par. In 1934, a peg to sterling replaced the peg to the Indian rupee, at the rate of 1 rupee = 1 shilling 6 pence (the rate at which the Indian rupee was also pegged).[45] This rate, equivalent to 13⅓ rupees = 1 pound, was maintained until 1979. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/W Battery
Tourism
Mauritius is one of the world’s top luxury tourism destinations.[46] It possesses a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, enjoys a sub-tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population that is friendly and welcoming. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S5C CN1 Battery
These tourism assets are its main strength, especially since they are backed up by well-designed and run hotels, and reliable and operational services and infrastructures.[47] Mauritius received the World Leading island Destination award for the third time and World’s Best Beach at the World Travel Awards in January 2012.[48] Sony VAIO VPCF112FX/B Battery
Mauritius has also one of the highest rates of returning tourism visitors in the world.[46]
Recreational activities in Mauritius are varied. Water sports are facilitated as the island is surrounded with coral reef, providing relatively shallow and calm water. Activities such as deep-sea fishing, surfing, windsurfing, water-skiing, yachting and submarine rides are available. Sony VAIO VPCF115FG/B Battery
Land-based leisure activities include golf, tennis, skiing, sky diving, deer hunting, quad (ATV) riding, mountain biking, abseiling, zip lining, horse riding and trekking.
Transportation
The most common form of public transport between cities is the bus, but many people travel by automobile. There are currently no railways in Mauritius. Sony VAIO VPCF116FGBI Battery
There were previously industrial railways, but these have been abandoned. To cope with increasing road traffic congestion, a Light Rail Transit system has been proposed between Curepipe and Port Louis. As of 2011, it is still in the planning stages. The main harbour where international trade is handled is found at Port Louis. Sony VAIO VPCF117FJ/W Battery
Transport in Mauritius has been free since July 2005 for students, the disabled and seniors. The main airport is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the home of the national airline, Air Mauritius.
Mauritius has a heterogeneous cultural mix. The island has received over the years a very eclectic immigration from Indian, African, European and Chinese incomers. Sony VAIO VPCF117HG/BI Battery
This had produced a syncretism of different cultural baggage. This diversity can be found in different aspects, specifically regarding religion synchronism. Mauritius is also influenced by it´s European influence due to the colonial times, both by Europeans and the income of slaves they brought upon the island. Sony VAIO VPCF118FJ/W Battery
In addition, since Mauritius always was an important exchange port it has a strong Asiatic influence due to Chinese traders, "the Sino-Maurtians"; and Indian workers, "the Indo-Mauritians".Mauritius is constitutionally a secular country, recent statistics are not available because questions on religious affiliations have been removed from the population census to promote Mauritianism. Sony VAIO VPCF119FC Battery
The 1968 constitution of Mauritius recognized four religious categories: Hindus, Muslims, Sino-Mauritians, and the general population.[52] According to the last census when data on community was collected in 1972, Hindus make up 50.4%, Muslims 16.1%, Sino-Mauritian 2.9% and General Population 30.7%.[50] Sony VAIO VPCF119FC/BI Battery
Most Franco-Mauritians and Mauritian Creoles are Christian. The Hindu population and most of the Muslim population are ofSouth Asian origins. However, many Mauritians are of mixed descent, due to the fact that many of the slaves were mixed up causing many 'mixed races'. Sony VAIO VPCF119FJ/BI Battery
These languages are still preserved through the existence of different socio-cultural organizations and with the school systems obliging primary school students to study an oriental language. A minority of people are of Chinese descent, many of whom have embraced Christianity, following mainly Roman Catholicism. Some followBuddhism and Confucian traditions. Sony VAIO VPCF11AFJ Battery
Holidays and festivals
Mauritius public holidays involves the blending of several cultures from Mauritius’s history, as well as individual culture arising indigenously. There areHindu festivals, Chinese festivals, Muslim festivals, as well as Christian festivals. Sony VAIO VPCF11AGJ Battery
There are 15 annual public holidays in Mauritius. Seven of these are fixed holidays: 1st and 2 January; 1 February; 12 March; 1 May; 2 November; and 25 December. The remaining public holidays are religious festivals with dates that vary from year to year. However these are public holidays, Sony VAIO VPCF11AHJ Battery
many other festivals like Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Père Laval Pilgrimageal also exist in Mauritius.
Rodrigues (French: îles Rodrigues) named after Dom Diogo Rodrigues is a semi-autonomous island part of theRepublic of Mauritius located in the Indian Ocean, about 650 kilometres (400 mi) east of Mauritius.[3] Sony VAIO VPCF11JFX/B Battery
It is the is part of the Mascarene Islands which include Mauritius, Cargados Carajos shoals and the French island Réunion, other nearby island countries and territories include Tromelin, Agalega, Comoros, Mayotte and the Seychelles to the far north-west. The area of Rodrigues is 108 km2.[3] Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E Battery
It is of volcanic origin surrounded by coral reef, and just off its coast lie some tiny uninhabited islands and islets. The island used the be the tenth district of Mauritius before it gained autonomous status in 2001 and is governed by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. The capital of the island is Port Mathurin. Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E/H Battery
As of 2011, the island's population was about 37,922. Its inhabitants are Mauritian citizens.[2] English is the official language of the island,[1] though people also speak French, Indian languages and some oriental languages are also spoken, the lingua franca is Rodriguan Creole.[4] Sony VAIO VPCF11MFX/B Battery
The main religion is Roman Catholicism with small minorities of other religions. Most of the inhabitants are of mixed African and French descent. Its economy is based mainly on fishing, farming, handicraft and a developing tourism sector.
From the 10th century, Arabs have been known to visit the Mascarene Islands. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E Battery
A 12th century map by the Arab geographer Ash-Sharif al-Idris supposedly contains them, and the Cantino planisphere of c.1500 and some other contemporary maps clearly show the three islands of the Mascarenes as Dina Arobi (or Harobi), Dina Margabin and Dina Moraze. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E/B Battery
These are apparently corrupted transliterations or transcriptions of the Arabic Diva Harab ("Desert Island"), Diva Maghrebin ("Western Island") and Diva Mashriq("Eastern Island"). While the second clearly refers to Réunion, sources disagree about which of the other isMauritius and which one Rodrigues, Sony VAIO VPCF11Z1E Battery
which are both to the east of Réunion and arranged in a somewhat stylized way on these maps. However, even in its original state, Rodrigues had some karst, while Mauritius even after suffering 500 years of deforestation can by no means be called "desert" even in a colloquial sense.[5]
The island was located again in February 1507. Sony VAIO VPCF11Z1E/BI Battery
Part of the fleet of Afonso de Albuquerque and Tristão da Cunha, Diogo Fernandes Pereira'sCirnespotted Réunion on February 9 after a cyclone diverted their course. The other two islands were subsequently rediscovered. The initial name was Diogo Fernandes; Domingo Froiz was given as a name some years later, Sony VAIO VPCF11ZHJ Battery
and by 1528 it had been again renamed after the Portuguese navigator Dom Diogo Rodrigues and has remained so since. The orthography has been less stable at first, with the name being transcribed Diego Rodriguez,Diego Roiz, Diego Ruys(or even "Diego Ruy's Island"), Dygarroys or Bygarroys. Sony VAIO VPCF127HGBI Battery
Some early French sources called it Île Marianne.
Due to the island lying far off the beaten track of seafarers at that time, it received few visits. From 1601, the Dutch began visiting the island somewhat more regularly for fresh supplies of food. Sony VAIO VPCF137HG/BI Battery
In 1691 the Huguenot, François Leguat and 7 companions landed on the island, intending to set up a farming colony ofProtestant refugees. Farming was not successful, but there was an abundance of tortoises, turtles, birds, fish and other seafood.
During the 18th century several attempts were made by the French to develop the island. Sony VAIO VPCS111FM/S Battery
African slaves (ancestors of the present population) were brought to Rodrigues to develop stockbreeding and farming.
In 1809, after a brief battle with the French, British troops took possession of Rodrigues. And with British occupation, slavery was abolished. Sony VAIO VPCS115EC Battery
In 1883, the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa was heard at Rodrigues Island and it remains the furthest point at almost 4800 km, at which the explosion was heard. The sound was described as "the roar of heavy guns". Naval ships were ordered to investigate as it was feared the sound was due to a ship in distress firing its guns. Sony VAIO VPCS115FG Battery
Having been heard from about 5000 km (3000 mi) away on the other side of the Indian Ocean, the noise remains the loudest sound in recorded history.
In 1968, Rodrigues was joined with Mauritius when it attained independence; today it is an autonomous region of Mauritius. Sony VAIO VPCS117GG Battery
In 2002, the island was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Rodrigues.
The island of Rodrigues is presently a constituency of the Republic of Mauritius and is dependent on the latter. However, on the 20th November 2001, the Mauritius National Assembly has unanimously adopted two laws giving Rodrigues its autonomy and as such, Sony VAIO VPCS117GGB Battery
creating a decentralized government system. This new legislation has allowed the implementation of a regional Assembly in Rodrigues constituting of 18 members and an executive council headed by a Chief Commissioner. The council meets every week to take decisions, draw up laws and manage the budget. Sony VAIO VPCS118EC Battery
The Chief Commissioner has the main task of informing the Mauritian Prime Minister of the management of the island’s concerns. The last Election of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly was held on 5 February 2012. The Organisation du Peuple de Rodrigues (OPR) party was the winner and obtained eleven seats, Sony VAIO VPCS119FJ/B Battery
while theMouvement Rodriguais (MR) obtained 8 and Front Patriotique Rodriguais (FPR) 2 seats.[6] The actual chief commissioner isLouis Serge Clair and the Chief Executive of Rodrigues is Pritam Singh Mattan.
Rodrigues is a volcanic island rising from a ridge along the edge of the Mascarene Plateau. Sony VAIO VPCS119GC Battery
The tectonically active Rodrigues Triple Point lies on the seafloor nearby. Even if the plateau under the lagoon surrounding Rodrigues may be much more ancient than the island, Rodrigues is only 1.5 million years old,[7] over time Rodrigues has developed a unique environment, including many endemic species. Sony VAIO VPCS11AFJ Battery
Rodrigues Island is situated some 560 kilometres (350 mi) kilometres to the East of Mauritius. It is located between Latitudes 19°40 and 19°46 South and Longitudes 63°20 and 63°30 East. It is about 18 km long and 6.5 km wide with an area of 108 km2.[3][8] The shape is that of a whale back with a central ridge and deep cut valleys. Sony VAIO VPCS11AGJ Battery
The island is hilly with a central spine culminating in the highest peak, Mountain Limon 398 metres (1,306 ft). Rodrigues is the only Mascarene Island with extensive limestone deposits and caves. A large fringing reef surrounds the island forming a lagoon within which lie eighteen small islets.[9][10] Sony VAIO VPCS11AHJ Battery
The coral reef of Rodrigues is of particular interest as it is self-seeding – it receives no coral zooplankton from elsewhere. This has led to an overall species-poor but highly adapted ecosystem. A species of coral, two species ofPomacentrus damselfish and many new species of crustaceans are only found on Rodrigues' reefs.[11] Sony VAIO VPCS11AVJ Battery
Climate
The isolation and location of the island give a micro climate specific to Rodrigues, with two seasons. Rodrigues enjoys a mild tropical maritime climate with persistent trade winds blowing throughout the year. Sony VAIO VPCS11J7E/B Battery
Mean summer temperature is 25.9 degrees Celsius and mean winter temperature is around 22.3 degrees Celsius. The temperature difference between summer and winter is 3.6 degrees Celsius. January to March are the hottest months and August is the coolest month. The wettest month is February; September and October are the driest months. Sony VAIO VPCS11M1E/W Battery
The climate is hotter and dryer than in Mauritius. Cyclones may arise from November to April, and Rodrigues is more often hit than Mauritius.
The economy of Rodrigues is a very small, mainly dependent on Mauritius. The main sources of income and economic activities are tourism, fishing, Sony VAIO VPCS11V9E Battery
cultivation of vegetables (especially of onions, garlic and chili), and animal rearing. With the recent surge in tourism activity, the Rodriguans have become increasingly aware of the economic importance of their local crafts. The handicraft industry of the country also proves to be very beneficial for the economy of Rodrigues. Sony VAIO VPCS11V9E/B Battery
However, the income derived from the export of sea products, cattle, and food crops, and is largely in deficit when compared to the costs of the imported products. Lately, tourism has become the focused sector.
Tourist numbers
In the past thirty years, Mauritius has developed from a low-income economy based on agriculture to a middle-income diversified economy. Sony VAIO VPCS11X9E/B Battery
Much of this economic growth has been the result of the expansion of the luxury tourism sector.< Mauritius is one of Africa's wealthier countries, and its economy is mainly dependent on the sugar, textiles, and tourism industries. As world sugar prices have declined and the production of textiles has become economically unfeasible, Sony VAIO VPCS123FGB Battery
the tourist industry is being concentrated on. Tourist policy in Mauritius promotes elite and specialist tourism because of the limited space available for tourism and the need to maximise income while minimizing environmental impact. Low budget tourism is not encouraged. Preferring high-end tourism, Sony VAIO VPCS125EC Battery
the Mauritian government promotes boutique luxury hotels, 4 and 5 stars beach resorts, golf courses, and spas and beauty centres.Tourism is directed primarily at the high-spending European market.
Mauritius had about 18,000 visitors in 1970. Between 1985 and 2000 the size of its tourism sector, Sony VAIO VPCS128EC Battery
measured by the increase in tourist arrivals, grew by approximately Tourist arrivals in 2004 were almost 720,000.In 2008, 970 482 tourist came to Mauritius. Tourism created 30,000 full time job equivalents in 2000. Tourists are primarily European, mainly French and British. Mauritius tends to be a high cost tourist destination. Sony VAIO VPCS129GC Battery
Air travel and accommodation are relatively expensive. Most tourists are on package holidays; there is very little independent travel or backpacking. To promote up-market tourism, charter flights have been banned, the resort hotels have been built to high standards and there are high standards of cuisine and service. Sony VAIO VPCS12C7E/B Battery
There are direct flights to a variety of destinations in Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as Australia.
The amount of resorts clustered in parts of the coastline is increasing, despite concerns about pollution and damage to coral reefs. Policy in the country has generally been to regulate contact between Mauritians society and tourists because of concerns about cultural and social problems. Sony VAIO VPCS12L9E/B Battery
Tourist attractions
Its tourist attractions are its environment, with white beaches, sea, and warm climate; the friendliness of the Mauritians; and its political and social stability. Mauritius is surrounded by 33 km of coast. It has excellent beaches, climate, and marine life. There are submarine dives for tourists and an undersea walk. Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B Battery
It is a world class diving destination. It is surrounded by 150 km of fringing coral reefs, with two breaks in the west and south. The lagoon between the shore and the peripheral fringing reefs has an extent of between 0.2 and 7 km. The lagoon's depth is between 1 and 6 m. There are about 340 species of fish, many of them endemic. Sony VAIO VPCY115FGS Battery
About 160 species of Scleractinian corals have been identified around the country. Tourism has damaged the reefs. Diving conditions are best in the summer, from December to March. This period is generally hot, wet, and humid, and there are occasional cyclones. The average air temperature is 30°C.[1] Sony VAIO VPCY115FX/BI Battery
There are a large variety of dive sites for people of all abilities in Mauritius. The main dive centres are located in and around Grand Baie, Flic en Flac, [[Blue Bay]
Undersea walks are an unusual tourist activity where participants wear a diving helmet and weight belt so that they walk along the sea bed and feed the fish. Oxygen is piped down from the surface to the participants. Sony VAIO VPCY115FXBI Battery
The prime locations for this activity are Grand Baie and Belle Mare.
There are currently no railways in Mauritius. There were previously industrial railways,[1] but these have been abandoned.
A railway system existed from 1860s to the 1960s. Due to persistent unprofitability from 1948 to 1953, it was finally closed in 1964. Sony VAIO VPCY118EC Battery
To cope with increasing road traffic congestion, a Light Rail Transit system has been proposed between Curepipe and Port Louis. As of 2011, it is still in the planning stages.
The proposed system would cover a distance of some 25 km, with some 13 stations, many located in town centres along the route where existing transport terminals already exist. Sony VAIO VPCY118GX/BI Battery
The end-to-end journey time would be approximately 32 minutes and carriages would be air-conditioned. Headways would vary by time of day, but are expected to be of the order of 5 minutes in peak periods. Access to stations would be by an integrated system of comfortable and reliable feeder buses. Sony VAIO VPCY119FJ/S Battery
At the beginning of 1860, the transport of passengers and goods was undertaken by about 2,000 horses, 4,000 donkeys and 4,500 carriages and carts.[3] With the advent of the railways, and later of motorized transport, animal based transport systems declined on the island. Sony VAIO VPCY11AFJ Battery
In January 1901, the first two seater car, imported by Goupille & Cie, was disembarked. In October of that same year, the Union Regnard sugar estate (Now F.U.E.L) received the first motorized truck of British origin, capable of transporting up to 5 tons.[4]
In 1930, the island had 3016 vehicles: around 2,401 private cars, 300 taxis, 303 trucks, 92 buses and 220 motorcycles. Sony VAIO VPCY11AGJ Battery
In 1950, vehicles numbered in the 5,161 and went up to 13,291 in 1960 with the decline of the railways. In 1970, the number of vehicles nearly doubled, going to 25,389 motorised vehicles. This included 12,546 cars, 4,171 trucks, 722 buses and 5,383 motorcycles.[5]
Public transport, in the form of buses, grew in line with the demographic and economic growth of the island. Sony VAIO VPCY11AHJ Battery
Thus, buses numbered 186 in 1950, 488 in 1960, 722 in 1970 and 1,490 in 1980.[6]
As of June 2011, 392,276 vehicles are registered on the island. 46% of this fleet consists of cars and dual-purpose vehicles and 41% of motorized two-wheelers. The remaining 13% consists of vans, lorries and trucks, buses and other vehicles.[7] Sony VAIO VPCY11AVJ Battery
National Transport Authority
The National Transport Authority (NTA) is a governmental department established under the Road Traffic Act in 1980 whose main responsibility is the regulation and control of road transport in Mauritius and Rodrigues. It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport and Shipping. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E/S Battery
The responsibility for the administration of the NTA rests with the Road Transport Commissioner.
The NTA also has a Board constituted under section 73 of the Road Traffic Act. The Board consists of a Chairman appointed by the Minister and 10 other members.
For a small island of 1 865 km2, there are 2 066 km of roads in Mauritius, Sony VAIO VPCY11S1E Battery
of which 48.5% are main roads, 28.7% are secondary roads, 3.6% are motorways and the remaining 19.2% are made up of other types of roads. The number of vehicles per km of road is at 177 as of 2009.[9] The bus network is quite extensive and is organized around Port Louis. Sony VAIO VPCY11V9E/S Battery
New air-conditioned buses have been introduced to link Port Louis with the main residential areas of the island.
Bus network
Mauritius has a widespread bus network with around 220 bus lines and roughly 900 bus stops.[10] Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/BI Battery
They are operated by a number of major companies (National Transport Corporation, Mauritius Bus Transport, Rose Hill Transport, Triolet Bus Service, United Bus Service, Luna Transport) and various individual operators which are organized in regional Bus Owners Co-operative Societies (BOCS). The bus prices are regulated by the Government of Mauritius. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/G Battery
However, there is no such thing as an operator independent ticket which could be used across the island.
The first recorded flight, with takeoff from Mauritius, was undertaken on 2 June 1922 by Major F.W.Honnet. The plane, a mono-engine biplane, christened Maurice, had come by boat. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/L Battery
For the inaugural flight, the land at the Gymkhana, Vacoas was converted into an improvised airport.[5]
On 10 September 1933, two French pilots, Maurice Samat and Paul Louis Lemerle, flew from Reunion Island to Mauritius on a Potez 43 plane called Monique. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/P Battery
The pilots landed in Mon-Choisy in the north of the island. On 4 October of the same year, a Mauritian pilot, Jean Hily, took off from Mon-Choisy for Réunion island. However, he never made it and was lost at sea.[5]
Thus, for some years that followed, the Mon-Choisy strip was used as an airport for the rare airplanes that landed on the island. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery
However, in 1942, with the entry of Japan into the Second World War, the island gained a strategic importance in the Indian Ocean and thus the British government hastily built a new airport in the south of the island at Plaisance. On 24 November 1943, the first military airplane, Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/P Battery
a Dakota of the Royal Air Force (R.A.F) coming from Nairobi with a stopover at Madagascar, landed in Plaisance.
In 1945, with the end of the war, the airport was opened to the civil aviation. Thus, on 10 February of that year, a Junker 52 of the Réseau des Liaisons Aériennes Francaises (R.L.A.F), later known as Air France, landed in Plaisance. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/SI Battery
Thus, as from 1945, the R.L.A.F operated the Paris-Mauritius line. The journey of 6 days and 7 stops included Antananarivo and Reunion island.
In 1946, the R.A.F handed over the Plaisance airport to the Mauritian authorities.
Air France became the first commercial aviation company to come to Mauritius.
Sony VAIO VGN-SR51B/S Battery
Sony VAIO VGN-SR51B/S Battery
As from 1947, it’s DC4, transporting 44 passengers, undertook the Paris-Mauritius in 3 days, including night time flight, with 12 stops in between.
The following year, the British company SkyWays initiated a weekly flight on the Plaisance-Nairobi line. The introduction of Boeings as from 1961 sensibly reduced the travel time on this line. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF Battery
Even though Mauritius was a British colony, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C) began to come to Mauritius only from 1962. The Mauritius-London itinerary took 26 hours, with 4 stops. In 1967, a Boeing 707, capable of carrying 160 passengers was introduced on the Paris-Mauritius line, decreasing the travel time to 18 hours.[5] Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/P Battery
Initially, Mauritian civil and commercial aviation developed under the impulsion of Rogers & Co Company. The aviation department within Rogers was created byAmédée Maingard on his return from the Second World War.
In June 1967, the national company, Air Mauritius was created. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/S Battery
The Mauritian government, British Airways, Air France and Air India were the initial stakeholders in this initiative, with Rogers an active supporter. Amédée Maingard became the first president of Air Mauritius and Jean Ribet the general manager.[6]
In December 1972, Air Mauritius landed a Piper-Navajo (twin-engined plane of 6 places), rented from Air Madagascar, in Rodrigues. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/W Battery
Then, as from 1975, aHavilland Twin Otter of 16 places was used on the Mauritius-Rodrigues route.
Telecommunications had an early beginning in Mauritius, with the first telephone line installed in 1883, seven years after the invention of the telephone. Over the years, the network and telephony improved. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MR Battery
By the late 20th century, the rapid development and convergence of information and telecommunications technologies gave rise to an ICT industry on the island along with many incentives provided by the government. The government thus aims to make the ICT sector the 5th pillar of the Mauritian economy and Mauritius a Cyber Island. Sony VAIO VGN-SR59VG Battery
In 1883, basic telephony was introduced in Mauritius, only seven years after the invention of the telephone. The first telephone line was set up between the Colony Governor's residence in Reduit and Government House in Port Louis.[2] The telephone network was maintained by the Electricity and Telephone Departmenttill 1956. Sony VAIO VGN-SR59VG/H Battery
From that date, the telecommunications department took that responsibility.[3]
In 1893, Mauritius was linked to Zanzibar via a sub-marine telegraphic cable followed by Rodrigues in 1901.[3]
Before the independence of the country and till 1985, international communications were managed by Cable and Wireless, a private British company. Sony VAIO VGN-SR70B/S Battery
From 1985,Overseas Telecommunications Services, which subsequently became Mauritius Telecom Limited took over.[3]
The Central Information Systems Division (CISD), formerly known as Data Processing Division (DPD), was created in 1971. Sony VAIO VGN-SR72B/P Battery
The CISD nowadays is responsible for government payroll IT systems, government email, maintenance of all government/departmental websites and technical support.[4]
In 1987, a second standard B earth station and a domestic satellite network were installed with Rodrigues and the Outer Islands. That same year, a X.25 Packet Switched data exchange was also installed.[5] Sony VAIO VGN-SR72B/S Battery
In July 1988, the state-owned Department of Telecommunications was privatised to become the Mauritius Telecommunications Services (MTS). With privatisation, national and international activities were merged to form Mauritius Telecom Ltd.[5]
The 1988 Telecommunications Act established the legal framework to cater for telecom services in a state-owned monopoly.[5] Sony VAIO VGN-SR73JB/S Battery
The National Computer Board (NCB) was also set up in 1988 by the National Board Act (No 43) to advise the Government on the formulation of national policies for the development of the IT sector and promote an IT culture in the country.[6]
In 1989, the Central Informatics Bureau (CIB) was created whose main functions were to plan and coordinate computerization within the Civil Service.[7] Sony VAIO VGN-SR74FB/S Battery
The State Informatics Limited was also set up in 1989 initially to help in the computerization of the Civil Service.[5]
By 1997, the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications was created to formulate and implement policies regarding the development of the ICT sector. The CISD and CIB became departments within this new ministry.[5] Sony VAIO VGN-SR90FS Battery
However, following the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) at the WTO, the 1988 Telecommunications Act was replaced with by the Telecommunications Act of 1998 which provided the legal framework to enable the emergence of a free and democratised telecommunications market on the island. Sony VAIO VGN-SR90NS Battery
This act also created the Mauritius Telecommunications Authority (MTA) as a regulatory body for the telecommunications sector.[5]With the development of Information and Communications Technologies, the Telecommunications Act of 1998 was replaced by the Information and Communication Technologies Act of 2001. Sony VAIO VGN-SR90S Battery
The MTA was subsequently replaced by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA). Sony VAIO VGN-SR90US Battery,Sony VAIO VGN-SR91NS Battery,Sony VAIO VGN-SR91PS Battery
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