Mauritius (môrĭsh'ēəs, –əs) , officially Republic of Mauritius, republic (2005 est. pop. 1,231,000), 790 sq mi (2,046 sq km), in the SW Indian Ocean. It is part of the Mascarene Islands, c.500 mi (800 km) E of Madagascar. The island of Rodriguez and two groups of small islands, Agalega and Cargados Carajos, are dependencies of Mauritius. The capital is Port Louis.

Land and  People

Mauritius is surrounded by coral reefs. A central plateau is ringed by mountains of volcanic origin, which rise to c.2,700 ft (820 m) in the southwest. The island has a tropical, rainy climate. Mauritius is divided into nine districts.
Over two thirds of the population are of Indian descent, and over 25% are creole (of mixed French and African background). There are also small Chinese and French communities. More than half the people are Hindu, about 30% are Christian (mainly Roman Catholic), and most of the remainder are Muslim. English is the official language, and a creole language is widely spoken; other languages include French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, and Bojpoori.

Economy

Mauritius has had one of the world's fastest-growing economies since the early 1980s and is increasingly attracting foreign investors. Sugarcane is the chief crop, and it is grown on 90% of the country's arable land. Tea and food crops are also grown, and there is a fishing industry. Textiles and sugar are the major exports. In recent years, the country has decreased its dependence on sugar, diversified its industrial base, and adopted free-trade economic policies. High-technology manufacturing, financial services, and data processing are growing, and tourism is increasingly important. The country's chief trading partners are the European Union nations and the United States. Mauritius is a member of the Southern African Development Community.

Government

Mauritius is a parliamentary democracy governed under the constitution of 1968, as amended in 1992. The president, who is the chief of state, is elected by the national assemby for a five-year term. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is appointed by the president, as is the council of ministers. The unicameral legislature consists of a 70-seat national assembly; 68 members are elected and, and eight, representing ethnic minorities, are appointed by the president.

History

Mauritius was probably visited by Arabs and Malays in the Middle Ages. Portuguese sailors visited it in the 16th cent. The island was occupied by the Dutch from 1598 to 1710 and named after Prince Maurice of Nassau. The French settled the island in 1722 and called it Île de France. It became an important way station on the route to India. The French introduced the cultivation of sugarcane and imported large numbers of African slaves to work the plantations. The British captured the island in 1810 and restored the Dutch name. After the abolition of slavery in 1835, indentured laborers were brought from India; their descendants constitute a majority of the population today.
Politics on Mauritius was long the preserve of the French and the creoles, but the extension of the franchise under the 1947 constitution gave the Indians political power. Indian leaders in the 1950s and 60s favored independence, while the French and creoles wanted continuing association with Britain, fearing domination by the Hindu Indian majority. In 1965, Britain separated the strategic Chagos Archipelago (see British Indian Ocean Territory) from Mauritius, but Mauritius continues to claim the islands and has sought their return. The 1967 election gave a majority in the assembly to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam's proindependence Labor party. Independence was granted in 1968, and Ramgoolam became the first prime minister. Mauritius joined the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations.