Mauritius

Mauritius  officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwestIndian Ocean, about 900 kilometres (560 mi) east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius Island is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion200 km (120 mi) to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues 570 km (350 mi) to the northeast. The area of Mauritius is 2040 km²; its capital city is Port Louis.

England took control of the islands 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 theSouthern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the African Union, La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations. Mauritius has anupper middle income economy.

History-

he known history of Mauritius begins with its discovery by Europeans and its appearance on maps in the early 16th century. Mauritius was successively colonized by the Dutch, the French and the British, and became independent in 1968.

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. In 1507 Portuguese sailors visited the uninhabited island and established a visiting base. Portuguese navigator Diogo Fernandes Pereira was probably the first European to 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. Another Portuguese sailor, Dom Pedro Mascarenhas, gave the name Mascarenes to the group of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues andRéunion. The Portuguese did not stay long as they were not interested in these islands.

Geography

Mauritius is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago.^[8] 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.^[8] 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.^[8] Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 meters to 800 meters above sea level. 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).^[8] Streams and rivers speckle the island; a lot of them are formed in the cracks created by lava flows.

Climate

The local climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; there is a warm, dry winter from May to November and a hot, wet, and humid summer from November to May. Anti-cyclonesaffect the country during May to September. Cyclones affect the country during November–April.Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two last cyclones to have affected the island.

Tourist Attractions in Mauritius

The Republic of Mauritius, commonly referred as Mauritius, is an island nation situated on the south western side of the Indian Ocean. Besides the islands of Mauritius, the Republic of Mauritius encompasses islands like Agalega, Rodrigues and St. Brandon. This island nation has a pleasant tropical climatic condition and is known for the numerous tourist attractions. The developed economy, high standard of living, modern lifestyle, abundant tourist attractions, exotic beaches and so forth have always caught the attention of international tourists. Modern infrastructure and transportation facilities have facilitated commuting to the numerous tourist attractions in Mauritiuseasier and convenient. Handful of the Sightseeing in Mauritiusare listed below for your reference.

Port Louis: The capital city and chief port of Mauritius, Port Louis was constructed in the year 1735 by the noted French governor, Mahe de Labourdonnais. This harbor is located between mountains which make it worth watching. Along the square there are ample numbers of French styled buildings, which enhances the charm of this tourist attraction in Mauritius. Municipal Theatre, two churches, one mosque, Government house, Supreme Court and so forth are some of them.

Pamplemonsses Garden: In the year 1767 this spectacular garden was built by Pierre Poivre. 'Mon Plaisir', the chateau of Pierre Poivre is housed here and attracts people to a great extent. The indigenous species of plants, exhibited in this garden, dates back to several decades. Black River George: This is a national park stretching as area of 6,574 hectares. It was construction in order to save the natural vegetation of the island and make it one of the most important Mauritius sightseeing. One can walk along the greenery and reach the highest point of the island, Black River Peak as well. Ile Anx Cerfs: The beach and lagoon of this area are relished by the tourists. Apart from sunbathing, the water sports, restaurants, souvenir stores attract crowd in large numbers.

Mauritius Botanical Garden, also known as Pamplemonsses Garden and SSR Botanical Garden, is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Mauritius, and is located near Port Louis. It is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere. The spectacular garden was built by Pierre Poivre in 1767, and covers an area of around 37 hectares. The botanical garden is most famous for its giant water lilies, spice garden and unique collection of 85 varieties of palms from Central America, Asia, Africa and the islands around the Indian Ocean.

Black River Gorges National Park is a national park stretching on an area of 6,574 hectares in the hilly south-western part of Mauritius. It was construction in order to save the natural vegetation of the island and make it one of the most important Mauritius sightseeing. One can walk along the greenery and reach the highest point of the island, which is the Black River Peak. Facilities for visitors include two information centres, picnic areas and 60 kilometers of trails. The Black River Gorges National park protects most of the island's remaining rainforest, and is home to many species of wild animals and birds. Many endemic plants and animals can be found in the park including the Mauritian flying fox, Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon, Mauritius parakeet, Mauritius cuckoo-shrike, Mauritius bulbul, Mauritius olive white-eye, Mauritius grey white-eye and Mauritius fody.

Île aux Cerfs Island, known in English as the deer island is an island near the east coast of Mauritius in the Flacq district. Ile Aux Cerfs is famous for its sandy beaches, beautiful lagoon and big selection of activities and facilities. In Ile Aux Cerfs you are sure to have a day of relaxation and fun on one of the picture-postcard beaches, and to enjoy a swim and snorkeling in the lagoon. This paradise island of Mauritius constitutes of around 100 hectares of land. Nowadays there are no more deers on the island, but you will find there some of the worlds beautiful beaches and as such it is one of the must place to visit and see in Mauritius.