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About Mauritius |
Popular for its sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons, Mauritius has earned its reputation as a tropical island paradise. Situated east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is of volcanic origin and boasts around 330 kilometres of coastlines, almost entirely sheltered by coral reef.
Beyond the incredible natural beauty of this place is a rich and diverse cultural heritage. Real melting pot, the population of Mauritius has various origins: from Europe, Africa, India and China. Once a French and then a British colony, the country celebrated its independence in 1968. English, French and Mauritian Creole are the three widely spoken languages across the country.
Mauritius has been a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. It has attracted considerable foreign investment, earning one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes. The country is a republic since 1992 and has now an estimated population of over 1.2 million people. Its currency is the Mauritian rupee (MUR).
The cuisine of Mauritius is an exotic blend of Indian, Creole, Chinese and European cuisine. This combination has given rise to a number of traditional Mauritian dishes such as the “cari poule”, “dholl purri” and the “mine frit”, or drinks such as “alouda”, a milk-based concoction containing basil seeds. Tropical fruits such as mangoes, litchis, papayas or bananas abound.
The local folklore music and dance is the Sega. This colourful Creole music has African roots and is produced on goat-skin percussion instruments called ravane. The Sega dancers are traditionally dressed in bright flowery costumes; the women wearing large flounced skirts they hold in their hands while dancing.
Mauritius has a varied fauna and flora with many endemic and rare species. One of the most famous icons of Mauritius is the Dodo, a bird unique to the island and now extinct. Mauritius is also home to some of the rarest birds in the world, like the Mauritian Kestrel, the Pink Pigeon and the Echo Parakeet. |
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