Mauritius

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) east of Madagascar and about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from the southeastern coast of the African continent. Includes the main island (also known as Mauritius), Rodriguez, Agalega and St. Brandon. Mauritius Island and Rodrigues Island, along with the nearby Reunion (an overseas department in France), are part of the Mascarene Islands. Port Louis, the capital's largest city, is located in Mauritius, where most of the population is concentrated. The country covers an area of ​​2,040 square kilometers (790 square miles) and has an exclusive economic zone covering 2.3 million square kilometers.

Arab sailors first discovered an uninhabited island around 975 and called it Dina Arobi. The earliest confirmed discoveries were made by Portuguese sailors in 1507, with little other interest in the island. The Dutch acquired ownership in 1598, established a short-term settlement for about 120 years, and then abandoned their efforts in 1710. France took control in 1715 and changed its name to Ild France. In 1810, the island was occupied by Britain, and four years later France abandoned Mauritius and his dependence on Britain. As a British colony, Mauritius included Rodriguez, Agalega, St. Brandon, Tromelin, Chagos Archipelago, and Seychelles until 1906. Tromelin's sovereignty is being contested between Mauritius and France because it was not specifically mentioned in the Paris Treaty. Mauritius was a predominantly plantation-based British colony until its independence in 1968.

In 1965, three years before Mauritius became independent, the United Kingdom separated the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius territory and separated Aldabra, Falkhar, and Desroches from Seychelles to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Locals were forcibly expelled and Diego Garcia, the largest island, was rented to the United States. The UK has restricted access to the Chagos Archipelago and is off limits to casual tourists, the media and former residents. Chagos sovereignty is contested between Mauritius and Britain. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion ordering the United Kingdom to return the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius as soon as possible to complete the decolonization of Mauritius.

Due to its geographical location and centuries of colonialism, the Mauritius people are very diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion. It is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the most practiced religion. The island's government is closely modeled on the Westminster parliamentary system, and Mauritius is highly regarded for its democracy and economic and political freedom. Mauritius is the only African country in the "very high" category of the Human Development Index. According to the World Bank, the country is classified as a high-income economy. Mauritius is also ranked as one of the most competitive and most developed economies in Africa. The country is a welfare state. The government provides students, the elderly and people with disabilities with free universal health insurance, free education up to higher education and free public transport. In 2019, Mauritius was ranked as the most peaceful African country in the Global Peace Index.

Like the other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its diverse flora and fauna. Many species are endemic to the island. The island is Dodo's only known home and, along with several other birds, was extinct by human activity relatively soon after the island settled.