Tap to Read ➤

Interesting Facts about Mauritius

Mukta Gaikwad
Read through some interesting facts about Mauritius, and surprise yourself with some never heard or read about information. These facts won't only surprise you, but will help you know more about this famous global tourist destination.
Mauritius, known as the Republic of Mauritius, is a famous tourist destination. An island nation, it is located in the Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa, about 560 miles east of the island Madagascar.
There are many interesting facts about Mauritius. Ethnicities such as African, French, Asian, Chinese reside here, and are a part of the Mascarene Islands along with two more islands, Réunion and Rodrigues.
Though the country is a little less than 1300 square miles in area, it has facts that make it globally one of the most visited destinations. Formed as a result of undersea volcanic eruptions, this island country will amuse you with some interesting facts, that you surely haven't heard of before.

Interesting and Fun Facts About Mauritius
✦ The security, military, police function in Mauritius are taken care by duty personnel commanded by the Police Commissioner. The island does not have its own standing army.

✦ The national flower is Trochetia Boutoniana, common from June to October.
✦ The national animal of Mauritius is Dodo, which is now extinct. The bird was brutally hunted by the early settlers as it provided good meat and was easy to hunt.
✦ Originally, Mauritius was known as Revis Island. The first people to set foot on this land were Portuguese in 1505. The Dutch followed later.

✦ This leaf-shaped island is the most populated one in Africa. It also ranks number 158th amongst populated countries of the world.
✦ However, it also happens to be the richest and most developed nation in Africa.

✦ The life expectancy of people residing in Mauritius is 74.8 years, so its World Life Expectancy ranking is 82.
✦ About 40% of the island's population resides in Port Louis, which is the capital. It was established by the French in 1736.
✦ Mauritius boasts some of the finest beaches in the world such as Grand Bay, Pereybere, Belle Mare, Blue Bay, Le Morne and Tamarin and Flic en Flac. Their scenic beauty makes this island one of the most sought after destinations for holidays and honeymoons, all over the world.
✦ Aapravasi Ghat and Le Morne Cultural Landscape are two world heritage sites in Mauritius, which is owned by the United Nations since 24 April, 1968.

✦ Its name, Mauritius, is a derivation of Maurice de Nassau, a Prince of Orange.
✦ The colors red, blue, yellow and green in the country's flag represent the following: Suberbe Flamboyant tree, Indian Ocean, light of independence and the sunshine, and the island's vegetation.
✦ 'The Motherland', national anthem of Mauritius was written by Jean Georges Prosper in 1968. It was later composed by Philippe Gentil, who was a part of the Mauritian police band.

✦ Although French is the general language of communication, English is its official language.
✦ Sega' a folk dance which originates in Africa is also the dance of the Mauritians. In the recent years, Sega and Reggae have been the background music for this dance form. The fusion music is now being called 'Seggae'
While some of the aforementioned facts were known by us for a few decades, some did surprise you, didn't they? These facts about Mauritius will come in handy while trying to solve quizzes or making a few for fun.
This trivia can also help you to plan a vacation to Mauritius, as you would know which beaches and sites to go see too. So, go through this information again to know the island a little more in detail.