The Republic of Mauritius celebrates its National Day today. The island country is situated in the southwest Indian Ocean. The country, aside from the island of Mauritius, also includes the islands of Cargados, Carajos, Rodrigues, and the Agalega. Port Louis is the country’s capital. The population of the island is around 1.3 million. English is the official language with Mauritian Creole as the lingua franca.
Written accounts of Mauritius were first recorded by Dravidian and Austronesian sailors as early as the 10th century. However, it was in 1505 that the island officially discovered by Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas. For several centuries thereafter, Mauritius was occupied by various European explorers, particularly the Dutch in the early 17th century, French in 1715, and British in the 19th century. In 1968, Mauritius achieved independence from the United Kingdom and became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992.
Since its independence, Mauritius has been a member of international and regional organizations such as the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the South African Development Community.
Mauritius is an upper-middle-income country possessing one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. Sugarcane is the country’s single cash crop. Around 90% of cultivated land is allotted to sugarcane production which contributes around 25% of government revenue. Other economic contributors are tourism, financial services, and exports of textiles.
We congratulate the people and government of Mauritius led by Their Excellencies, President Kailash Purryag, Vice President Monique Ohsan Bellepeau, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Foreign Affairs Minister Arvin Boolell, and Minister of Tourism, Leisure and External Communications Charles Gaetan Xavier Luc Duval, on the occasion of its National Day. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!
Written accounts of Mauritius were first recorded by Dravidian and Austronesian sailors as early as the 10th century. However, it was in 1505 that the island officially discovered by Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas. For several centuries thereafter, Mauritius was occupied by various European explorers, particularly the Dutch in the early 17th century, French in 1715, and British in the 19th century. In 1968, Mauritius achieved independence from the United Kingdom and became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992.
Since its independence, Mauritius has been a member of international and regional organizations such as the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the South African Development Community.
Mauritius is an upper-middle-income country possessing one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. Sugarcane is the country’s single cash crop. Around 90% of cultivated land is allotted to sugarcane production which contributes around 25% of government revenue. Other economic contributors are tourism, financial services, and exports of textiles.
We congratulate the people and government of Mauritius led by Their Excellencies, President Kailash Purryag, Vice President Monique Ohsan Bellepeau, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Foreign Affairs Minister Arvin Boolell, and Minister of Tourism, Leisure and External Communications Charles Gaetan Xavier Luc Duval, on the occasion of its National Day. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!
