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Mauritius
Mauritius (English: Mauritius), or as it is officially known as the Republic of Mauritius, is an island located in the Indian Ocean south of Africa, and is about 800 km from the eastern coast of the island of Madagascar, and Mauritius is a small island with a total area of 2,040 km 2 The population of 1.348.242 people according to the statistics of 2016, and despite its small size, it includes a great ethnic and religious diversity, as its population is descended from: Indian, French, Chinese, Mauritian, and Creole, but its official language is English Many data spread, such as: Creole, French, Alboajaburah, and Hinduism embraces most of the population, in addition to Christianity and Islam.
Port Louis, capital of Mauritius
Port Louis is the capital and largest port of Mauritius, and is located west of the Indian Ocean between a well-protected deep water port that can be accessed through a coral reef crack and a semicircular chain of mountains. The city is an important commercial and financial center on the continent of Africa, and an attractive tourist destination, which is visited by tourists from all over the world.
Port Louis includes many tourist attractions, museums, and important historical buildings, and in the late nineties witnessed a remarkable development, in which many recreational and tourism centers were established, and its population reached 119,706 people in December 2015.
Geography of Port Louis
Port Louis is the largest city in Mauritius, with an area of 46.7 km2, located in the northwest of the Indian Ocean. It is three meters above sea level. Port Louis has a tropical climate, where it rains most months of the year, while it witnesses short dry months, and February witnesses the highest rainfall in the year up to 263 mm, while October witnesses the lowest rainfall of 51 mm, and the annual rainfall in it 1616 mm, while the annual temperature is 23.8 ° C, and February is the hottest month; the average temperature is 26.7 ° C, while August is the lowest temperature month, where the average temperature is 20.4 ° C.
History of Port Louis
The first known history of the people of Port Louis dates back to 1598 AD, when the Dutch began sailing to its sea port, and they named it Nordt Wester Haven, and they used it as a major port for their ships that were sailing around the Cape of Good Hope in the Dutch era, and in 1736 AD the French occupied the city, and prospered During this period in a very big way, and it was named after King Louis XV, thanks to the prosperity of the French ruler de Labordonais, who developed it, and made it a French military base and an important commercial port, and its statue is still there today.
Port Louis was named after the French Revolution at Napoleon Port, and in 1810 AD, Mauritius was completely subject to British rule, which ruled for almost 160 years. During this period, the city passed through historical events, which were infested with deadly diseases and tropical cyclones that claimed the lives of many. In 1819 CE it spread Cholera disease which killed nearly 1,000 people, and in the mid-sixties of the nineteenth century AD spread malaria, which killed nearly 4,000 people, and in 1892 AD a huge hurricane struck the city, and destroyed the homes of many.
The year 1835 CE marked a pivotal year in the history of the city, as the British announced the liberation of all slavery, most of which were from Madagascar and several African countries. And China in that period. In 1947 AD, the Labor Party decided to expel the ruling French Mauritius Party for the first time in the history of Port Louis and Mauritius, and the British began to give Mauritians more freedom and autonomy, and in 1968 AD Mauritius attained full independence.
Landmarks of Port Louis
Port Louis includes many important tourist attractions that you can see, among the most prominent of these are:
- Place de Armas: It is an important historical landmark in the city of Port Louis, as it is the main square that links the waterfront to the government house building, and the building is surrounded by several statues and palm trees.
- De Labordonais Statue: This statue belongs to one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Mauritius, and is located at the entrance to Place de Armas, and is considered a symbol and a memorial to the French heritage that occupied Mauritius in the past.
- Government House Building: It is one of the oldest and most important political buildings in the capital, Port Louis. It represents the official parliament building, and its construction dates back to the reign of Nicolas de Maupin, who ruled between 1729-1735 AD.
- Port Louis Theater: This theater is one of the oldest theaters in the Indian Ocean region, where its construction dates back to the nineteenth century, and is characterized by the style of classic London theater, and can accommodate about 600 people.
- Fort Adelaide, or Port Louis Castle: It is a castle located on a hill overlooking the city and the port, built between the years 1834-1840 AD; with the aim of protecting the city from the riots that erupted after the abolition of slavery, and the castle is used today as a place to carry out local and international concerts, and art shows there.
- Abravasi Ghat, or Immigration Depot in Hindi: It is the place where thousands of workers coming from India first landed after the decision to abolish slavery on the island, and in 2006 it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Church of Marie-Reine de la Paix: It is a Catholic Church located on the side of Mount Signal, overlooking the city of Port Louis, and enjoys a breathtaking view, surrounded by beautiful gardens that constitute a great spot for picnics, and a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
- Chinatown: This neighborhood was established by Chinese immigrants who voluntarily sailed to the city from Guangzhou aboard British, French and Danish ships in the eighties of the nineteenth century to work as carpenters, guards and tailors, and this neighborhood still occupies an important place today in the city, as it houses many restaurants, Cafes, and groceries.
