Magnificant Mauritius
Home of the Dodo Bird (and plenty of South Asians)

"God created Mauritius and then Heaven" (Mark Twain).

Geography
The island of Mauritius is located approximately 855 kilometres off the east coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The coastline of 330 kilometres is almost entirely surrounded by one of the largest unbroken coral reefs in the world.

History
The first visitors from Europe were the Portuguese who landed in 1510. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch, the French and then the British. On March 12 1968, it became an independent sovereign nation within the British Commonwealth. On 12 March 1992, Mauritius became a Republic. Due to the history of slavery and low-wage workers, Mauritius' culture is coloured by African, European, Chinese and Indian influences.

Language
The official language is English - but the most widely spread is French and the local dialect, Creole. Teaching is in English but written and spoken press predominantly in French. Most Mauritians also speak their native language such as Hindi, Chinese, Urdu, etc...

Currency
The currency of Mauritius is the rupee.

Weather
Mauritius is an all-year-round holiday resort with warm and moderate temperatures.

What to Do
Soak up the sun, play on the beach, shop, explore the natural habitat and enjoy the various ethnic cusines, including Creole, Chinese and Indian foods.

For more information, visit http://www.mauritius.net/.

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