Mauritius – General info

Mauritius is located in the southwestern Indian Ocean about 800 km east of Madagascar and belongs to the Mascarene Islands archipelago with Reunion and Rodrigues.

Mauritius has an area of 1,865 km/2 and is densely populated with about 1.074 million inhabitants.

Capital: Port Louis.

Phone:
Area code of Germany: 00230/Phone number
Area code to Germany: 0049/local network without 0/phone number

Language: The national language in Mauritius is English and French

Currency: 1 Mauritian Rupee (MUR) = 100 Cents (c)/
100 MUR = approx. € 4.00

Transport:
Left-hand traffic / An international driver’s license is required

Tourist information:
Mauritius Information Office
c/o GCI
P.O. Box 18 02 70
60083 Frankfurt
Phone: 0700,- 628748487
Fax 069- 92187431
Internet: http://www.mauritius.net/

Mauritius does not have an embassy in Germany. The Embassy of Mauritius in Brussels is responsible
Embassy of the Republic of Mauritius
Rue de Bollandistes 68
B-1040 Brussels
Phone: 00322-7339988 / Fax.: 00322-7344021

Messages:
Germany does not have an embassy in Mauritius, so the following is responsible:
Honorary Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany
32 bis, Rue Saint Georges
Port Louis / Mauritius
Phone 00230 – 2114111

The island is of volcanic origin and is surrounded almost entirely by a coral reef.

The national territory of Mauritius also includes the islands of Rodigues, St. Brandon, Agalega Islands and other smaller islands.

Mauritius has been an independent state since 1968.

The sugar industry is the largest economic force in the country. This can be seen all too clearly when driving across the island. Some areas are completely littered with monoculture.

Other important economic factors include the textile industry and, of course, tourism.

The climate in Mauritius is pleasant all year round, with the months of April to July and September to October being the most beautiful.

During this time, the least rain falls, and the temperatures are not too high. However, if you don’t want to miss out on the splendour of the flamboyant trees and fresh exotic fruits such as lytchees, you should definitely prefer the Mauritian summer; there is also an extremely pleasant water temperature in the lagoons at this time of year.

From November to March, Mauritius is summer, with average temperatures ranging from 23°C to 25°C in the morning, rising to 30°C to 32°C during the day.

In winter (April to October) the temperatures are about 7°C lower. The water temperatures are around 25°C. Due to the proximity to the equator, the seasons do not differ significantly from each other, and the rainfall never lasts long, even during the rainy season between November and April. Between January and March, cyclones occasionally occur, cyclones that form on the open sea.

Mauritius as a holiday destination is a year-round destination with mild temperatures. In the Mauritian winter (April – October) there are stronger winds on the east coast, where it can also get a little cooler.

The fauna and flora of the islands of Mauritius as well as the habitat of the species have suffered greatly from human settlement. Due to the deforestation of the lush forests, the habitat for the original fauna was destroyed. Many species became extinct. The native bird world was particularly affected. Many birds ended up in the cooking pots or fell victim to the imported monkeys and rats. With the exception of a few species of bats and birds, the original fauna of Mauritius is completely extinct.
The Dronte (Dodo)
The most famous animal and landmark of Mauritius is the dronte, popularly known as the dodo. It has been extinct for centuries. In the Natural History Museum of Port Louis there is one of the rare completely preserved skeletons and a reconstruction of this ratite. Particularly striking features were the short stubby legs, a crooked beak, feathers that only began behind the eyes, and the inability to fly.

When fully grown, the animal weighed 20 – 25 kg. In the course of evolution, it had reduced its wings and tail to small tufts of feathers. Since the dodos had no natural enemies, they had lost their ability to fly. However, with the arrival of humans, enemies came to the island.

Up to this point, the eggs and young birds were never threatened, so the earth-nesting birds could get by with one offspring per year. With foreign settlement in the 16th century, predators such as rats, pigs, goats and monkeys, which also fed on eggs and young birds, were brought to the island. Likewise, the tasty meat was preferred by the people.
Birdlife
When there were still rainforests in Mauritius, a large number of colorful birds lived on the island. Many of these species fell victim to changes in their habitats by humans. In place of the extinct animals, other species became native. In the last remnants of the original forest ecosystems in the southwest of Mauritius, some of the endemic bird species such as the kestrel, the pink pigeon, the Mauritian parakeet and the Mauritian caterpillar catcher have found a last refuge. The Mauritius Kestrel or Kestrel is the only bird of prey in Mauritius and the rarest falcon on earth. Around 1970, only four animals of this species existed in Mauritius. Through an intensive conservation program, it has been possible to grow the population again to over 400 animals. However, the Mauritius falcon remains on the Red List of endangered species.
Reptiles and lizards
In Mauritius you can only find smaller reptiles. The extensive and extensive sugar cane plantations are mainly home to chameleons and lizards. There are no poisonous snakes on the island.

Small geckos are often found in Mauritius. The harmless animals live on the walls and ceilings and are important insect killers in the homes of the locals.

As in the Galapagos Islands, the Indian Ocean is home to a rich population of giant tortoises. The Mauritian giant tortoise was helplessly at the mercy of humans. Because the animals could survive for months without food, they were a welcome meat reserve on the ships. The giant tortoises on display on the island today belong to a species that is originally native to the atoll of Aldabra, which is located about 400 km north of Madagascar. The only three surviving specimens of the Mauritian species are protected in a natural park on the Ile-Aux-Aigrettes.
Mammals
The mammals were represented by only a few species before the colonization of Mauritius. There are two endemic species of bats on the island. As early as the 16th century, rats came to Mauritius with the first ships, which destroyed many other species. To combat the rodents, Indian mongooses were settled on the island. They now live in many regions and can often be seen on the roads around the extensive sugar cane fields.

Red deer were introduced from Java by the Dutch. In the grazing areas, the population is estimated at over 25,000 animals.

400 years ago, the Portuguese brought small macaques from Asia to the island. The monkeys come out of the forests into the flat country and rummage through plantations and settlements for food. They rob eggs from nests, so that the macaques have already led to the extinction of many bird species. They are highly regarded by the population and also serve as food due to their tasty meat.
Underwater world
Canada’s climate is divided into arctic and temperate zones due to its continental location. Most of the country has pronounced and dry-hot summers and very cold but mostly sunny winters. These periods last at least five months.

If you go further north, the seasons of spring and autumn are shorter and all the more so the further north you go. Here, these seasons are limited to two to three months. In winter, the Arctic climate with its cold air fronts is noticeable far into the southern parts of the country.

In summer, temperatures of up to +35° Celsius are often found in the southern regions of Canada due to the warm air fronts from the Gulf of Mexico. In the northern parts of the country, however, summer temperatures average +15° during the day. These can drop to below freezing at night.

In winter, temperatures drop to an average of -5° to + 10° in the south and +5° to -40° in the north of the country.

On British Columbia’s milder southern Pacific coast, temperatures tend to stay above freezing. In winter, heavy snowfall can be found in all parts of the country except Nova Scotia.

The sea is a huge barrier that can be overcome by plants and animals in various ways: by their own power or by passive transport such as ocean currents, winds and in the plumage, in the body and on the feet of birds.

The successful settlement of plants depends on three factors: reaching the island, finding a suitable habitat and ensuring reproduction. The islands of Mauritius and Réunion were colonized in an expected order: the first creatures were sea plants and larvae of sedentary marine fauna; later the bare rock was covered with lichens and when the soil began to form on the islands, plants carried by wind, sea and birds could take root.

The frequent rainfall and the warm climate quickly caused dense vegetation on the islands. In both Mauritius and Réunion, two island-specific characteristics can be detected: The poverty of species is the result of random settlement. The high endemism rate is due to a particularly rapid course of evolutionary processes, which is characterized by a rapid assertion of mutations in small, isolated societies.

Here, new species have prevailed that do not occur anywhere else on earth. 500 flowering plants alone are endemic to the Mascarene Islands. However, the severe limitation of the habitat is also a disadvantage for the islands, because their biological balance is highly susceptible to disturbances.

Endemic plants include ebony trees, bois d’olive, bois de natte, bois de fer, bois puant, bois d’eponge, bois de rat, bois colophane, macaque, tambalacoqü, bottle palm, hurricane palm and the national flower Trochetia boutoniana (French: boucle d’oreille, in German earring tree). The national flower is a widely branched bush or low tree with oval, leathery leaves with dense hairs on the underside. Its bell-shaped red flowers are 5 – 6 cm long.

Agricultural crops include sugar cane, potatoes, corn, peanuts, fruits (pineapples, bananas, papayas, mangoes, lychees, citrus fruits, coconuts), vegetables (beans, tomatoes, avocados), the perfume ylang-ylang, and cut flowers.

The history of Mauritius is relatively young and was first marked on Arabic maps around 1500.

In 1598, the Dutch took possession of the island and gave it the name Mauritius.

In 1638, the first settlers landed, initially staying on the island for only two decades. Several further attempts to settle the island failed, so that the Dutch abandoned the island in 1710.

In 1715, the island was taken over by the French to secure their shipping routes to India.

Settlement began in 1721.

The development of the country began in 1735 with the arrival of the governor Mahé de Labourdonnais, whose work can still be seen today:

Construction of Port Louis as a military port and shipbuilding centre / Château de Mon Plaisir in Pamplemousses / Line Barracks in Port Louis / Parts of today’s Government House.

The administration of the island was taken over by the French East India Company until 1767.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Mauritius was the location of the corsairs.

1810 Great naval battle between England and France at Grand Port. In August 1810, the English landed in the north (Cap Malheureux) and ousted the French.

In the course of the process, there were great social and economic upheavals. The highlight was the abolition of slavery in 1835.

As a consequence of this, the immigration of Indian workers, Hindus and Muslims can be seen, who now took over the work in the sugar cane fields. Due to their large number, the culture of the island has been strongly influenced. Chinese traders immigrate.

Due to the well-developed sugar industry, Mauritius is prosperous.

Mauritius has been an independent state since 1968 and a republic since 12.03.1992.

Immigration has made Mauritius a society of different races, cultures and religions. People of African, Indian, European and Chinese origin with different cultures, customs and languages live together peacefully and harmoniously in a small area. Mauritius can thus be seen as a model for other societies in the world.

There are a few different types of local cuisines:

– Creole (spicy)
– Chinese
– Indian (well seasoned)
– European
– fish dishes – everything that the local sea has to offer.

The national dish curry is highly recommended.

It is eaten with chicken, beef or fish. A large portion of rice is served with it.
Drinks

The soft drinks Coca Cola or Pepsi are bottled in Mauritius and they are available on every corner. Mauritians prefer still water, but there is also sparkling water.

Beer is brewed in Mauritius, as everywhere else in the world. There are the Mauritian types such as the Phoenix beer and the slightly stronger Blue Marlin.

Recently, however, Warsteiner brewed in Mauritius has also been available.

Wine is very expensive in Mauritius because it is not grown in the country and has to be imported. People drink lighter wines from South Africa or France here.

The main drink of the inhabitants is the rum produced in Mauritius. There is the simple (goodwill), but also the nobler (Green Island). Rum is drunk neat, with cola (preferred by the locals) or as various cocktail preparations.

Alcoholic beverages imported from other countries are extremely expensive because of the very high import duties.