y the French government. In particular Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen a successful general in the French Revolutionary Wars and in some ways a rival of Napoleon, ruled as Governor General of Mauritius and Réunion from 1803 to 1810. British naval cartographer and explorer Matthew Flinders was arrested and detained by Decaen on the island for most of this period, in contravention of an order from Napoleon. During this period, the Napoleonic wars, Île de France became a base from which French corsairs organised successful raids on British commercial ships. The raids continued until 1810 when a strong Royal Navy expedition led by Commodore Josias Rowley was sent to capture the island. Despite winning the Battle of Grand Port, the only French naval victory over the British during these wars, the French surrendered to a British invasion at Cap Malheureux three months later. They formally surrendered on 3 December 1810, on terms allowing settlers to keep their land and property and to use the French language and law of France in criminal and civil matters. Under British rule, the island's name reverted to the original one. British period Port Louis in 1835 The British administration, which began with Robert Farquhar as governor, was followed by rapid social and economic changes. Slavery was abolished in 1835. The planters received two million pounds sterling in compensation for the loss of their slaves who had been imported from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation. The abolition of slavery had important repercussions on the socio-economic and demographic fields. The planters turned to India, bringing in a large number of indentured labourers to work in the sugar cane fields. Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured labourers were present on the island. They worked on sugar estates, factories, in transport and construction sites. Additionally, the British brought 8740 Indian soldiers to the islands. Indians mainly originated from Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. The first group arrived in 1721 from Bengal and Pondicherry. Most were Bengali or Tamil. Port-Louis was divided into three sectors, with the Indian community in the eastern suburb of ‘Camp de Malabar’. A great number of Hindus from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were brought as indentured labourers. There was also massive immigration from Madagascar, Southern and Eastern Africa, Mozambique and Comoros. Chinese immigrants who were in commerce also arrived later and the colony was transformed into a predominantly Asiatic population. The expanding marketing sector also attracted many traders from North India. As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the Franco-Mauritian and their Creole allies to the Indo-Mauritian. Cultivation of sugar cane flourished, for export of sugar to England. Economic progress saw improvement of the means of communication and a gradual upgrading of infrastructure. Following constitutional conferences held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was introduced and general elections were held on 9 March 1959. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. A Constitutional Review Conference was held in London in 1961 and a programme of further constitutional advance was established. The last constitutional conference, held in 1965, paved the way for Mauritius to achieve independence. After general elections in 1967, Mauritius adopted a new constitution and independence was proclaimed on 12 March 1968. Mauritius became a republic on 12 March 1992. Politics This section requires expansion. Main article: Politics of Mauritius In international affairs, Mauritius is part of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Southern African Development Community and the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie (French speaking countries), amongst others. A more complete list can be found in the main Politics of Mauritius article. Parliament This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. Government Mauritius is a democracy with a Government elected every five years. The latest general election was held on 5 May 2010 in all the 20 mainland constituencies, as well as the constituency covering the island of Rodrigues. Historically, elections have tended to be a contest between two major coalitions of parties. According to the 2011 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which measures governance using a number of different variables, Mauritius' government earned the highest rank for "Safety and Rule of Law" and "Sustainable Economic Opportunity" as well as earning the highest score in the index overall. Mauritius came second in "Participation and Human Rights" and "Human Development".[6] Office Held Office Holder Incumbency President Anerood Jugnauth 7 October 2003 Vice President Monique Ohsan Bellepeau 13 November 2010 Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam 5 July 2005 Deputy Prime Minister Rashid Beebeejaun 7 July 2005 Vice Prime Minister Xavier Luc Duval 5 July 2005 Vice Prime Minister Anil Bachoo 7 August 2011 Senior Minister Sheila Bappoo 7 July 2005 Leader of the Opposition Paul Raymond Berenger 7 July 2005 Law This section requires expansion. Like many other former British colonies, the legal system is based on English law. Foreign relations Prime Minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam and his spouse with the President of the United States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Main article: Foreign relations of Mauritius Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West, as well as with India and the countries of southern and eastern Africa. It is a member of the World Trade Organization, the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, the Southern Africa Development Community, the Indian Ocean Commission, COMESA, and the recently formed Indian Ocean Rim Association. Trade, commitment to democracy, and the country's small size are driving forces behind Mauritian foreign policy. The country's political heritage and dependence on Western markets have led to close ties with the European Union and its member states, particularly the United Kingdom and France, which exercises sovereignty over neighboring Reunion Island. Considered part of Africa geographically, Mauritius has friendly relations with other African states in the region, particularly South Africa, by far its largest continental trading partner. Mauritian investors are gradually entering African markets, notably Madagascar and Mozambique. Mauritius coordinates much of its foreign policy with the Southern Africa Development Community and the Organization of African Unity. Relations with France and India are strong for both historical and commercial reasons. Foreign embassies in Mauritius include Australia, the United Kingdom, People's Republic of China, Egypt, France, India, Madagascar, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States. Mauritius is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes).[1] Military and police The Special Mobile Force celebrating its 50th anniversary Main article: Military of Mauritius Mauritius does not have a standing army. All military, police, and security functions are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the command of the Commissioner of Police. This consists of an 8,000 member National Police which is responsible for domestic law enforcement, a 1,500 member Special Mobile Force (SMF), and a 500 member National Coast Guard.  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes).[2] Geography Main article: Geography of Mauritius See also: Maps of Mauritius at Wikimedia Commons The 83m high Chamarel Falls. Mauritius is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago.[7] Together with Réunion and Rodrigues, Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands. These islands have emerged from the abysses as a result of gigantic underwater volcanic eruptions that happened thousands of kilometres to the east of the continental block made up by Africa and Madagascar.[7] They are no longer volcanically active, and the hotspot now rests under Réunion. There has been no active volcano on the island for more than 100,000 years.[7] Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 meters to 800 meters above sea level. The land rises from coastal plains to a central plateau where it reaches a height of 670 meters, the highest peak is in the southwest, Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire at 828 metres (2,717 ft).[7] Streams and rivers speckle the island; a lot of them are formed in the cracks created by lava flows. The country is situated some 2,000 kilometres (1242 miles) off the south East coast of Africa, between Latitudes 19°50 and 20°32 South and Longitudes 57°18 and 57°46 East.[8] The island of Mauritius is 65 km long and 45 km wide and has a total land area of some 1,865 square kilometers[9] making it the 180th largest nation in the world by size, it is surrounded by with more than 150 kilometres (93 miles) of white sandy beaches and the lagoon are protected from the open sea by the world’s third largest coral reef, which surrounds the island.[8] Just off the Mauritian coast lie some tiny uninhabited islands and islets (see Islets of Mauritius), some of them are use as natural reserves for the protection of endangered species. Territories and Dependencies Main article: Districts and dependencies of Mauritius The total land area of the country, as per the Mauritius geography, is 2040 square km.[10] Mauritian territory also incorporates the island of Rodrigues, which is situated some 560 kilometers to the east and is 108 square kilometers in area.[11] Its population is estimated at 38,000 as at July 2011.[3] Two tiny dependencies, the Agalega Islands which have a total land area of 2,600 hectares situated some 1,000 km to the north of Mauritius and the Cargados Carajos Shoals (also known as the St. Brandon Rocks) situated some 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius,[11] both with a total population of about 300 inhabitants.[3] Their location permits the nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to cover about 1.2 million square kilometers of the Indian Ocean.[10] Four fishing banks fall within EEZ limits, the Soudan Banks (including East Soudan Bank), Nazareth Bank, Saya de Malha Bank, Hawkins Bank. Mauritius and France both claim sovereignty over Tromelin, small islands that lie 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius.[10][11] Mauritius sought to regain sovereignty, lost just before independence in 1968, over the Chagos Archipelago (1,931 kilometers to the northeast) which includes the Diego Garcia atoll, all of which comprise the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Forty years ago its population then numbering some 2,000 people, were expelled by the British government to Mauritius and Seychelles to allow the United States to establish a military base on the island. Today the exiled Chagossians are still fighting to go back to their homeland, claiming that the forced expulsion and dispossession (see Depopulation of Diego Garcia) was illegal.[12] Climate The local climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; there is a warm, dry winter from May to November and a hot, wet, and humid summer from November to May. Anti-cyclones affect the country during May to September. Cyclones affect the country during November–April. Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two last cyclones to have affected the island. Biodiversity This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. See also: List of birds of Mauritius and List of mammals of Mauritius Dodo Main article: Dodo Mauritius was the only known habitat of the extinct Dodo bird When it was discovered, the island of Mauritius was the home of a previously unknown species of bird, which the Portuguese named the dodo (simpleton), as they appeared to be not too bright. By 1681 all dodos had been killed by the settlers or by their domesticated animals. An alternate theory suggests that the imported wild boars that were set free destroyed the slow-breeding dodo population. The dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national coat-of-arms (see above). Environment Main article: Wildlife of Mauritius The environment in Mauritius is typically tropical in the coastal regions with forests in the mountainous areas. Seasonal cyclones are destructive to the flora and fauna, although they recover quickly. Mauritius has a Ministry of Environment that is responsible for the cleanliness of the island, including garbage and litter collection at public places. Environmental complaints and requests for Environmental Awareness can be filed online.[13] The air quality in Mauritius is one of the best in the world. Mauritius ranked second in an-air quality index released by the World Health Organization (OMS).[14][15] Districts The island of Mauritius is divided into nine districts which consist of different towns and villages: Savanne Flacq Black River Port Louis Rivière du Rempart Pamplemousses Plaines Wilhems Grand Port Moka Demographics Main article: Demographics of Mauritius The population estimate (as of 1 July 2011) for the whole republic is 1,286,340; for the island of Mauritius only it is 1,248,129.[3] Mauritian society includes people from many different ethnic groups. The republic's residents are the descendants of people from India (Indo-Mauritian), continental Africa (Mauritian Creole people usually known as 'Creoles' in Mauritian Creole), France (Franco-Mauritian) and China (Sino-Mauritian), among other places. Language Main article: Languages of Mauritius The Mauritian Constitution makes no mention of an official language and its one million citizens speak mostly Mauritian Creole (a French-based creole), English and French.[16] It is only in the Parliament that the official language is English, although any member of the National Assembly can still address the chair in French.[2] However, English is generally accepted as the official language of Mauritius and as the language of government administration, the courts and business. The constitution of Mauritius and all laws are written in English. In Mauritius, people switch languages according to the situation. French and English, which have long enjoyed greater social status, are favored in educational and professional settings.[16][17] Also, most newspapers, such as Le Mauricien and L'Express, and media communications are in French.[18][19] The Mauritian Creole, derived mainly from French with influences from the other dialects, is spoken by the majority of the population and is considered the country's native language.[16] Rodriguan Creole and Agalega Creole are spoken by people from Rodrigues and Agalega islands. Some ancestral languages which are also spoken in Mauritius include Hindi or Bhojpuri, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Chinese language (Hakka, Mandarin or Cantonese) and Arabic.[18] School students must use English and French; they also have the option to study any oriental language including Mauritian Creole.[16] The Mauritian population is multilingual; most Mauritians are equally fluent in English and French.[8][16][20] Religion Religion in Mauritius religion percentage Hinduism  ? 52% Roman Catholic  ? 27.5% Islam  ? 16.6% Other Christians  ? 8.6% other  ? 2.5% none  ? 0.4% See also: Hinduism in Mauritius, Christianity in Mauritius, Islam in Mauritius, and Roman Catholicism in Mauritius Hindus make up 52%, Roman Catholic 27.5 %, other Christians 8.6%, Muslims 16.6% and non-religious 0.4% while other religions up to 2.5%, and an additional 0.3% didn't specify their religious beliefs.[10] Most Franco-Mauritians and Mauritian Creoles are Christian. The Hindu population and most of the Muslim population are of South Asian origins. However, many Mauritians are of mixed descent, due to the fact that many of the slaves were mixed up causing many 'mixed races'. These languages are still preserved through the existence of different socio-cultural organizations and with the school systems obliging primary school students to study an oriental language. A minority of people are of Chinese descent, many of whom have embraced Christianity, following mainly Roman Catholicism. Some follow Buddhism and Confucian traditions. Education Main article: Education in Mauritius See also: List of secondary schools (Mauritius and Rodrigues) Education from pre-primary through to secondary is free for persons born in the country, and primary level net enrollment ratio is consistently above 90% (93.3% in 1991 and 94.0% in 2009).[21] The education system in Mauritius is largely based on the British system since Mauritius was a former British colony. After the country became independent in 1968, education became one of the main preoccupations of the Mauritian Government to meet the new challenges awaiting the country. Considerable investment of resources, both human and material, has been put into the education sector and impressive progress has been achieved in terms of free, universal, compulsory primary education, free textbooks, free secondary education and a fairly wide range of higher education courses at the University of Mauritius. Education has been free through the secondary level since 1976 and through the post-secondary level since 1988. The government has made an effort to provide adequate funding for education, occasionally straining tight budgets and even subsidised a great part of the expenditure in the Private Secondary schools. However, the pre-primary schools are still privately owned. Health This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. Economy This section is outdated. Please update this section to reflect recent events or newly available information. Please see the talk page for more information. (January 2012) Main article: Economy of Mauritius Port Louis, the capital city Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculture-based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been 5-6 percent, far above the sub-Saharan African average.[21] Despite the rapid growth, that growth has been equitable and income equality has improved as its Gini coefficient fell from 0.457 to 0.389 between 1980 and 2006. This has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality and improved infrastructure.[21] Estimated at US$12,356 for 2009 at purchasing power parity (PPP),[4] Mauritius has the sixth-highest GDP per capita in Africa, behind Seychelles (US$19,274 at PPP), Equatorial Guinea (US$16,853 at PPP), Gabon (US$14,421 at PPP), Libya (US$14,381 at PPP) and Botswana (US$13,417 at PPP). The economy is mainly dependent on sugarcane plantations, tourism, textiles, and services, but other sectors such as seafood processing, information technology and medical tourism are rapidly developing as well. Mauritius, Libya, and Seychelles are the only three African nations with a "high" Human Development Index rating. Réunion, as part of France, is not listed by the UN in its Human Development Index ranking. Mauritius ranks first among all countries in FDI inflows to India, with cumulative inflows amounting to US$10.98 billion. The top sectors attracting FDI inflows from Mauritius between January 2000 and Dec