Mauritius (Indian Ocean): useful information


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Useful information on Mauritius, with all the things to know before leaving for a trip or a holiday in this archipelago which includes, in addition to the homonymous island from which it takes its name, also the islands of Agalega, Cargados Carajos and Rodrigues.


Mauritius in a nutshell

  • Capital: Port Louis
  • Area in sq km: 1,860
  • Population: 1,261,643 (2006)
  • Religion: Hinduism

Geography

Mauritius flag The Republic of Mauritius is made up of an agglomeration of islands belonging to the southwestern Indian Ocean, located about 900 km east of Madagascar and considered part of the African continent.

The Mauritius islands are part of the Mascarene Islands, which are an archipelago of volcanic origin belonging perhaps to a submerged chain including also the Seychelles and Réunion.


The main island is characterized by being formed by a central plateau that slopes gently towards the coast towards the north while the slope is much steeper towards the south.

Being an island of volcanic origin in various points there are old craters and volcanic lakes, for the rest it is endowed with a remarkable naturalistic beauty that many call heavenly. Beautiful are the coral reefs that surround it that over the years have given the beaches the typical white sand.

Climate

The climate is tropical characterized by winds that come from the southeast with hot and dry winters and hot and humid summers.


Cyclones are frequent in the period from November to April. The capital of Mauritius is Port Louis while other cities are Curepipe, Vacoas, Phoenix, Quatre Bornes, Rose-Hill and Beau-Bassin.

Vegetation

As for the original vegetation, it must be said that it is disappearing due to monocultures and the introduction of animal and plant species from other geographic areas.

The Mauritius Wildlife Appeal Fund (MWAF) is therefore working to demarcate some protected areas where the original Mauritius ecosystem can be restored.


On the beaches of Mauritius there are very few palm trees while casuarina, tall and thin pine-like trees, and eucalyptus trees abound.

Other spectacular plants are the Indian giant banana and the flamboyant.

Recommended readings
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  • Seychelles (Indian Ocean): useful information
  • Zanzibar (Tanzania): what to see in the archipelago

Anthurium, a decorative flower imported from South America, is grown.

Fauna

Among the mammals that inhabit the island we can mention the mongoose and the Java deer.

Wild pigs and macaques are also found in the Rivière Noire area.

There are many birds, of which many species are threatened with extinction, among which are the Mauritius kestrel, the pink pigeon, the Mauritius coracina, the Mauritius black bulbul, the flycatcher of the Mascarene paradise, the goggle of Mauritius, the red fody of Madagascar, the Indian maina, the gendarme weaver and the bulbul with red mustaches.

In the waters around Mauritius, among the coral reef live the clown fish, the cleaner fish, the shrimp of the actinias, the manta rays, the sharks, the moray eels and the sea turtles. There are also nature reserves, the largest of which is the Black River Gorges National Park around the Rivière Noire area, over 3600 hectares.

Other nature reserves, many of which are located on islands or atolls around the Mauritius islands are Le Pouce, Île Ronde, Île aux Serpents, Île aux Aigrettes, Île Cocos, Île aux Sables and Bois Sec.

Economy

The economy of Mauritius currently focuses mainly on agriculture based on sugar cane production but the industrial, financial, tourism and textile sectors are continuously growing.


Music

The typical musical genre of the island is the saw which corresponds to a characteristic type of local dance.

The saw is mainly danced in hotels to entertain tourists. In the internal areas, bhojpuri songs are considered traditional.

Mauritius - Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (February 2024)


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