Land of The Dodo - Mauritius

 

         Mauritius geographical situated at the east of African continent in the Indian Ocean.With an area of: 2040 sq km (787) sq mi), 500km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.Mauritius are surrounded by Rodrigues Island, the Agalega island and Cargados Carajos Shoals.Port Louis are the biggest city and capital for Mauritius .

          Terrain: Volcanic island surrounded by coral reefs. A central plateau is rimmed by mountains. While Arab and Malay sailors knew of Mauritius as early as the 10th century AD and Portuguese sailors first visited in the 16th century, the island was first colonized in 1638 by the Dutch. Mauritius was populated over the next few centuries by waves of traders, planters and their slaves, indentured laborers, merchants, and artisans. The island was named in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau by the Dutch, who abandoned the colony in 1710.

          The French claimed Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Ile de France. It became a prosperous colony under the French East India Company. The French Government took control in 1767, and the island served as a naval and privateer base during the Napoleonic wars. In 1810, Mauritius was captured by the British, whose possession of the island was confirmed 4 years later by the Treaty of Paris. French institutions, including the Napoleonic code of law, were maintained. The French language is still used more widely than English