MAURITIUS
- Interesting Information
GEOGRAPHY:
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES:
20 17 S, 57 33 E
TOTAL LAND AREA:
Total: 2,040 sq km
Land: 2,030 sq km
Water: 10 sq km
Note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
COASTLINE:
177 km
MARITIME CLAIMS:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental Shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
TERRAIN:
Small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
ELEVATION EXTREMES:
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Geography - note: The main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
POPULATION:
1,240,827 (July 2006 est.)
ETHNIC GROUPS:
Indo-Mauritian, Creole, Sino-Mauritian, Franco-Mauritian
RELIGIONS:
Hindu, Roman Catholic, other Christian, Muslim
ECONOMY:
INDUSTRY:
Food Processing (Largely Sugar Milling), Textiles, Clothing, Chemicals, Metal Products, Transport Equipment, No electrical Machinery, Tourism
AGRICULTURE:
Sugar Cane, Tea, Corn, Potatoes, Bananas, Pulses; Cattle, Goats; Fish
GOVERNMENT:
Date of Independence: 12 March 1968 from UK
President of the Republic of Mauritius: Sir Anerood Jugnauth
GOVERNMENT TYPE:
Mauritius is a democratic state based on the Westminster model and enjoys political stability.
LEGAL SYSTEM:
Based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
MAURITIUS TOURISM PROMOTION AUTHORITY
Tel:+(230) 208 6397
Fax: +(230) 212 5142
Website: www.mauritius.net
FLORA:
The flora of Mauritius is composed of 700 species of indigenous plants. Many of these plants are threatened with extinction. This is because there is less than 2% of their natural habitat left, and because introduced plants and animals compete and destroy their fruits and seedlings.
In collaboration with the National Parks and the Conservation and Forestry Services, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation is working to protect these species and the forest for future generations.
ORIGINS OF THE ISLAND:
The Mascareignes Archipelo is made up of Mauritius, Reunion Island and Rodrigues. It obtained its name after the Dutch navigator Pero Mascarenhas who was one of the first Europeans to indicate its existence at the beginning of the 16th century.
Mauritius, independent state, is situated at 890 KM east of Madagascar, between 19°50' and 20°32' of south latitude and 57°18' and 57°46' of East Longitude. Reunion, French island, is 200 km south west and Rodridues, a dependence of Mauritius is 600 km to the East North East.
Of volcanic origin, these islands separated by sea pits of 4000 metres depth, 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.
Regarding the age of these different islands, it is known that Mauritius has started to emerge some 8 million years ago whereas Reunion emerged some 5 million years later. Even if the plateau under the lagoon of wide area surrounding Rodrigues may be much more ancient than the island, the island is only 1.5 million years old
Regarding the topography of Mauritius, it has an area of 1860 Km2 and is made up of a central plateau gradually rising towards the south west where it reaches its highest point at 800 metres with the Piton de la Rivière Noire. This plateau is still surrounded with what is remaining from the primary crater in the form of a chain of mountains that are not very high (Moka, Corps de Garde, Pieter Both) and some isolated peaks (Piton du Milieu, Motte à Thérèse).
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NATIONAL ANTHEM
Glory to thee, Motherland,
O motherland of mine.
Sweet is thy beauty,
Sweet is thy fragrance,
Around thee we gather
As one people,
As one nation,
In peace, justice and liberty.
Beloved country, may God bless thee
For ever and ever.
Mauritius
click the map to enlarge ...
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