Mauritius

Mauritius

Mauritius / are small islands in the central Indian Ocean about 860 km from Malagash. The Portuguese traveler Don Pedro Mascarenhas was the first known to the world in the year 1505 and he gave the name Mascarens to the group of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion

Mauritius is defined as a democratic republic based on the Westminster model, which ensures the separation of both legislative, executive and judicial powers. The island now enjoys political stability, with 62 members elected to the National Assembly every 5 years. While there is a head of state, it is the prime minister who carries the executive powers in addition to the leadership of the government

The area of ​​the Mauritius Islands is 2,500 km, and the population was about 1,078,000 people, according to the 1988 census. The capital of Mauritius is Port Louis, which is the first port in which it was established, and it is also one of the volcanic islands whose lands do not rise much as the highest mountain is Montenegro, which reaches Its height is approximately (827) meters, while its climate is tropical, warm and less rainy in winter and mild in summer

It is inhabited by people of different nationalities, cultures and religions, in which there are those who convert to Islam, Christianity and Hinduism, but for nationalities, in which the Chinese and Creole are; That is why we find mosques and churches in addition to temples in all respects spread, and the population speaks English and French fluently in addition to the presence of a group of different eastern languages

Mauritius has an area of ​​two thousand and five kilometers, and its population in the year 1408 AH - 1988 AD (1.078,000) and the capital Porth Lewis, which is the first port by it, and the volcanic island whose land does not rise much or higher, the hills of Montenegro and its height reaches 827 meters, and the most elevated island in the center And southwest, and includes (Rodrigues) and some small islands. The climate of Mauritius is temperate due to its tropical location, and it suffers from abundant rainfalls, which helped the growth of forests in some parts of the island, where it was observed that many tourists went to it in recent years

The total area of ​​the country is 2,040 km (790 sq mi). It ranks 169 largest countries in the world by volume. The Republic of Mauritius consists of the main island of Mauritius and many remote islands. Rodrigues Island has an area of ​​108 square kilometers (42 square miles) and is located 560 km (350 miles) east of Mauritius and Agalega Twin Island, with a total area of ​​26 square kilometers. Saint Brandon is an archipelago with a number of sandy, shallow and islet banks. It is located about 430 km (270 mi) northeast of Mauritius and is mostly used as a fishing base

The island of Mauritius is relatively geologically small, having been created by volcanic activity about 8 million years ago. Along with Saint Brandon, Reunion, and Rodrigues, the island is part of the Mascarine Islands. These islands have emerged as a result of massive volcanic eruptions underwater, which occurred thousands of kilometers to the east of the continent, which consists of Africa and Madagascar. It is no longer volcanic active and a hotspot is now located under Reunion Island

Mauritius is surrounded by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300-800 m (1,000-2,600 ft) above sea level. The land rises from the coastal plains to a central plateau, reaching a height of 670 meters (2,200 feet); The highest peak in the southwest, Péton de la Petite River Noire at 828 meters (2,717 feet). Streams and rivers are island speckles, and many are formed in cracks created by lava flows

Thanks to its location in a warm spot of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has a tropical climate. The northern and western regions are known for their warmth and lack of rain. In general, the weather on the central plateau is more moderate, with its highest point reaching 600 meters above sea level. Summer: November to April. Temperatures range from 25 to 31 ° C. Typhoons may occur between November and May. Winter: May to October. Temperatures range from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. The sea temperature is around 27 ° C during the summer and 22 ° C during the winter. There is also monsoon rains that continue to occur, especially in May and June every year

In the early 1980s, the government launched an intensive revision program geared towards developing economic development through export, agricultural diversification and the expansion of the tourism market. As a result of this program, the manufacturing sector led economic growth in Mauritius during the 1980s as the export processing area became the most successful foreign investment and single largest employer

The export processing area has become highly dependent on the textile and clothing industry during the past thirty years. The 1990s also witnessed a great diversification and the entry of Mauritius into advanced sectors such as information technology, engineering and jewelry design. Ports and marine lines sectors have also evolved, with the services sector expected to play an essential role in the future economic growth

Between 2000-2005, new sectors of growth were identified, most notably business outsourcing (outsourcing), seafood processing, tax-free shopping and integrated resort plans that allowed foreigners for the first time to own property in Mauritius. With the help of the Indian government, the Eben Digital City was established with the aim of attracting foreign investment and creating jobs in the business outsourcing sector

The campaign to convert Mauritius into a tax-free shopping paradise was also launched. Since 2005, it has become easy to reach Mauritius by air, which has stimulated the tourism movement and made it one of the most important factors for economic growth. Additional measures were adopted to liberalize the economy, attract foreign investment from all over the world, and invite foreigners to work and live in Mauritius

There are also many integrated resort schemes projects under development that will reform the economy despite the resistance of some parties. Today, the Mauritius economy is located between the middle and high income classes, where the annual growth rate during the past five years has reached 5%, and while adopting additional measures to liberalize and open the economy to the world, the government has made sure to follow human rights issues in Africa and not ignore them. Also, preserving the environment is one of the most important priorities of the government, as it has worked hard to preserve the natural beauty of the island, despite the acceleration of the rate of economic growth during the past decade

Sugar cane plantations cover half of the island’s area. Sugar represents its most important export. Besides reeds, tea, tobacco, some food grains, and tourism are an important craft on the island

The population of the country reached nearly 1.2 million in 2006, who follow Hindu religion, making up about 50% of the population, while Christians constitute 32% of the population (73% of them are Roman Catholics), while Muslims are 17%, while about 1% of the population constitute atheists or I don't know or other religions