Mauritius Islands
Mauritius Islands (English: Mauritius); it is a group of islands located in the Indian Ocean, and the largest island is Mauritius, about 800 km from Madagascar from the east, while from the western side it is about 4000 km from the southwestern part of India, and the system of government in it A republic known as the Republic of Mauritius, and gained independence from Britain in 1968.
The official announcement of the establishment of the republican system in the Mauritius Islands dates back to 1992 AD and is considered among the member states within the Commonwealth of Nations. Port Louis is its official capital and the largest city among its cities. The Legislative Council elected by the people chooses the Prime Minister who is accountable to the Council for the performance of the government.
Geography of Mauritius
The total geographical area of the Mauritius Islands reaches 2040 km², and its lands extend from the northern side to the south side by about 58 km, while from the eastern side to the western side its lands constitute about 43 km. The lands of Mauritius emerged as a result of volcanic activity that led to the accumulation of many volcanic rocks, and also resulted in the emergence of a medium plateau surrounded by a group of mountains, while in the north-eastern side, the lands of Mauritius begin to decline toward the sea, and its slope increases at the southern and western beaches near The waters of the Indian Ocean. Mount Piton is the highest mountainous region, as it reaches 828 meters above sea level.
Climate of Mauritius
The general climate in the islands of Mauritius is humid tropical marine, accompanied by wind gusts from the southeastern side, while temperatures range between 18-30 ° C in areas at sea level, and from 13-26 ° C in areas with a height of 460 m, and a season begins Summer is from October to April, and the winter season comes in the time period between June and September. Commercial winds blow from the southeastern side from October to March, accompanied by heavy rains on the plateaus and slopes, and the average annual rainfall reaches more than 500 cm, while in the coastal areas the average rainfall is estimated at about 100 cm. , And it rains daily in the time period between the months of April and September, and tropical cyclones occasionally blow between December and April.
Economy of the Mauritius Islands
Since the independence of Mauritius, its economic sector has witnessed a remarkable development, as it has shifted from a low-income economy dependent on agriculture to a medium and diversified economy, so many economic fields have developed in Mauritius, including tourism, the financial sector and industry, so significant growth has appeared in the economic sector, which has contributed to the diversity Income distribution, improvement of public health care for individuals, and general economic infrastructure.
The economy sector in Mauritius is currently dependent on tourism, the garment and textile industry, sugar, financial services, fishing, information and communication technology, and real estate development. Sugar cane cultivation is the equivalent of 90% of the land area allocated to crops, and the government is keen to enhance its development strategy Within many economic fields.
Mauritius has trade relations with India, China, and South Africa, and also seeks to implement a preferential trade program to enhance access to the US commercial market. Mauritius financial and economic policies have helped reduce the negative impact of the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2010. The economy sector in Mauritius witnessed a growth in the gross domestic product ranging between 3-4%, especially as the government continues to support investment and trade with all countries of the world.
Residents of the Mauritius Islands
The estimated number of residents of the Mauritius Islands is 1,263,000 according to the statistics of 2016, and the society in Mauritius is considered one of the diverse population groups, as it contains many ethnic groups, so the origins of two-thirds of the population return to Pakistan and India, and most of them reached the islands for work in the time period between the century The nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century AD, and the Creole group constitutes one fourth of the population;
The English language is the official language in Mauritius, but it is used by a few residents, and Creole is relied on and it is a local and general language and dialect spoken by nearly four fifths of the population. Also, the Bhojpuri language of Indian origin is used among a small number of individuals in society, as French is spread over The domains are limited, while the other languages used are traditional and less common languages like Chinese, Tamil, Urdu, Hindi and others. Hinduism is spread among almost half of the population, and Catholic Christians constitute the equivalent of a third of the population density, and Islam also spreads among groups of the population.
General culture in Mauritius
Society in Mauritius contains a mixture of diverse traditions and cultures, which are linked to the different peoples who live on its lands. The religious and ethnic diversity in Mauritius contributed to the emergence of many festivals and holidays throughout the year, so Hindu festivals are held in both February and March ( March), October and November, and Muslims celebrate the Eid Al Fitr celebrations after the end of Ramadan.
Christians celebrate Halloween in November and Christmas in December, while residents of Chinese origin celebrate Spring Festival, and political and social events and celebrations are also widespread, as Republic Day is celebrated on March 12, May Day, May 1. There are a group of national cultural institutions that are interested in supporting general culture in Mauritius, the most important of which are art exhibitions in cities, the palace theater, the port theater, and the Mauritius Institute which contains a museum of history, and many public libraries are spread in all regions.