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[16] This enabled Mauritius to exploit advantages, learn from expertise brought in through FDI and maintain competitiveness in a fast evolving international market. [211], The general populace historically lived in what are termed creole houses. Authorities plan to emphasize services and innovation in the coming years. The two major rivers, the Grand River South East and the Black River, are the primary sources of hydroelectric power. CIA. 2023 BBC. The story of how it got that way is an intriguing one. The medium of instruction varies from school to school but is usually English for public and government subsidised private schools and mainly French for paid private ones. [52], There was also dissatisfaction in the education sector. [36] Portuguese sailors had brought these monkeys to the island from their native habitat in Southeast Asia, prior to Dutch rule. Mauritius claims sovereignty over Tromelin island, though it is registered as a part of France. [52], In December 1995, Navin Ramgoolam was elected as PM of the LabourMMM alliance. [214] There are 14 annual public holidays in Mauritius with New Year celebrated over two days if it falls on a weekend. [115], The Chagos Archipelago is composed of atolls and islands, and is located approximately 2,200 kilometres north-east of the main island of Mauritius. [33] Under his governorship, numerous buildings were erected, a number of which are still standing. Financial products and services include private banking, global business, insurance and reinsurance, limited companies, protected cell companies, trust and foundation, investment banking, global headquarter administration. Mauritian structures present a variety of designs, materials, and decorative elements that are unique to the country and inform the historical context of the Indian Ocean and European colonialism. For other uses, see, Islands of the Republic of Mauritius (excluding Chagos Archipelago and Tromelin Island). More recent years have witnessed the demolition of plantations, residences, and civic buildings as they have been cleared or drastically renovated for new developments to serve an expanding tourism industry. Mauritius - A Country Profile - Nations Online Project Tea and tobacco are also cash crops. History The Mauritian economy has undergone remarkable transformations since independence. This has resulted in high indebtedness in poor households. Water sports include swimming, sailing, scuba diving, windsurfing and kitesurfing. [37], France, which already controlled neighbouring le Bourbon (now Runion), took control of Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Isle de France. On 20 May, thousands of students tried to enter Port-Louis over the Grand River North West bridge, and clashed with police. It consists of 70 members, 62 elected for four-year terms in multi-member constituencies and eight additional members, known as "best losers", appointed by the Electoral Service Commission to ensure that ethnic and religious minorities are equitably represented. [114] Its North Island is 12.5km (7.8mi) long and 1.5km (0.93mi) wide, while its South Island is 7 by 4.5km (4.3 by 2.8mi). The information and communications technology (ICT) sector has contributed to 5.7% of its GDP in 2016.[208]. The ICIJ investigation says Mauritius has been . For most of the period, annual growth has been roughly 4%. [33] The swift conquest of Mauritius was fictionalised in the novel The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian, first published in 1977. [209], The Mauritius "Post Office" stamps, the first stamps produced outside Great Britain, among the rarest postage stamps in the world, are widely considered "the greatest item in all philately". Mauritians commonly speak two, three, or even more languages, and the educational system supports a wide range of language instruction. [136], Less than 2% of the native forest now remains, concentrated in the Black River Gorges National Park in the south-west, the Bambous Mountain Range in the south-east, and the Moka-Port Louis Ranges in the north-west. Its outlying territories are Rodrigues Island, situated about 340 miles (550 km) eastward, the Cargados Carajos Shoals, 250 miles (400 km) northeastward, and the Agalega Islands, 580 miles (930 km) northward from the main island. [16] This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. [11][12] Mauritius and France dispute sovereignty over the island of Tromelin as the treaty failed to mention it specifically. Corrections? This led to an intense campaign to halt the population explosion, and the decade registered a sharp decline in population growth. In 1885, a new constitution was introduced. [17] France took control in 1715, renaming it Isle de France. The US should now do right by this peaceful and democratic country: recognise Mauritius's rightful ownership of Diego Garcia, renegotiate the lease and redeem past sins by paying a fair amount for . In late 1943, the 1st Battalion of the Mauritius Regiment (1MR) was sent to Madagascar for training, and in their place a battalion of the King's African Rifles (KAR) was stationed in Mauritius. [34] Several attempts to establish a colony permanently were subsequently made, but the settlements never developed enough to produce dividends, causing the Dutch to abandon Mauritius in 1710. Tromelin Island lies 430km north-west of Mauritius. Anticyclones affect the country during May to September. [17] The EPZ with investment principally from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and came into its own, surpassing sugar as the principal export-earning sector and employing more workers than the sugar industry and the government combined, previously the two largest employers. [17] Mauritius approached the IMF and the World Bank for assistance. All military, police, and security functions in Mauritius are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the Commissioner of Police. Mauritius country profile - BBC News [51], The labourers brought from India were not always fairly treated, and a German, Adolph von Plevitz, made himself the unofficial protector of these immigrants. Lake Vacoas, one of the main reservoirs, is the chief source of water. In summer-fall there's less rain, but still plenty. Large retail chains began opening stores in 1985 and offered credit facilities to low-income earners, thus allowing them to afford basic household appliances. A nationwide state of emergency was declared on the whole British colony. Mauritius has a single first-order administrative division, the Outer Islands of Mauritius (French: les parses de Maurice), which consists of the islands of Mauritius and several outlying islands. Brandon. The index measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18, given the risks of poor health and poor . [97] In January 2000, political activist Rajen Sabapathee was shot dead after he escaped from La Bastille jail.[98]. Mauritius: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report | Freedom House With a well-developed legal and commercial infrastructure and a tradition of entrepreneurship and representative government, Mauritius is one of the developing world's most successful democracies. Ratsitatane, nephew of King Radama of Madagascar, was brought to Mauritius as a political prisoner. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam became the first prime minister of an independent Mauritius with Queen Elizabeth II remaining head of state as Queen of Mauritius. Since 2005 public buses, and later trains, in Mauritius have been free of charge for students, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. Mauritius has attracted US$10.98 billion in Foreign direct investment inflows. Mauritius's claim is based on the fact that the transfer of Isle de France and its dependencies to Britain in 1814 was general in nature, that it was beyond those called out in the Treaty of Paris, and that all the dependencies of Isle de France were not specifically mentioned in the Treaty. He mixed with many of the labourers, and in 1871 helped them to write a petition that was sent to Governor Gordon. All of the islands forming part of the French colonial territory of Isle de France (as Mauritius was then known) were ceded to the British in 1810 under the Act of Capitulation signed between the two powers. [11] Since 1971, only the atoll of Diego Garcia is inhabited, home to some 3,000 UK and US military and civilian contracted personnel. But the war affected Mauritius much less than the wars of the eighteenth century. [17] An aura of optimism accompanied the country's economic success and prompted comparisons with other Asian countries that had dynamic economies, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea. This system of nominating members is commonly called the best loser system. Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre lived on the island from 1768 to 1771, then went back to France, where he wrote Paul et Virginie, a love story that made the Isle de France famous wherever the French language was spoken. France considers that the sovereignty of Tromelin island was never transferred to Britain. It is home to a number of international banks, legal firms, corporate services, investment funds and private equity funds. Financial Advice for Expatriates in Mauritius Make smarter and more profitable returns as an expat in Mauritius. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Overview. [139], The environment in Mauritius is typically tropical in the coastal regions with forests in the mountainous areas. [17] [198][199] While the country also offer incentives such as tax holidays and exemptions in some specific sectors to boost its competitiveness, the country is often tagged as a tax haven by the press due to individuals and companies who engaged in abusive practices in its financial sector. [207] The Sir Gatan Duval Airport operates from Rodrigues ensuring air link with the main island of Mauritius and international flights with Runion. Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income Gini index: 39 (2006 estimate), Agriculture products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish, Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 estimate), Electricity production: 1,836 GWh (2002), Electricity consumption: 1,707 GWh (2002), Oil consumption: 21,000bbl/d (3,300m3/d) (2003 estimate) Between 2001 and 2015, the gap between the incomes of the poorest and the richest 10 percent of households increased by 37 percent. A commission was appointed to look into the complaints made by the Indian immigrants, and in 1872 two lawyers, appointed by the British Crown, were sent from England to make an inquiry. The island of Mauritius is volcanic in origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. 1710-1810 - French take possession, establishing a sugar industry based on slave labour. [138], The Mauritian flying fox is the only remaining mammal endemic to the island,and has been severely threatened in recent years due to the government sanctioned culling introduced in November 2015 due to the belief that they were a threat to fruit plantations. [57][58] Labour Day was celebrated for the first time in 1938. The Constitution of Mauritius established the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary and guaranteed the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual. The Republic of Mauritius, located off the east coast of Africa, is full of Indians who speak French. Emigration, primarily to Britain and France, also helped slow the annual growth rate. He named the island "Ilha do Cisne" ("Island of the Swan"). There was also a boom in the tourism industry, and new hotels sprang up throughout the island. km in the Indian Ocean. The island's government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and Mauritius is highly ranked for economic and political freedom being the only African country with full democracy. The poor are not only helped by the free education system but also by the provision of prepaid electric meters and subsidized water tanks.