118-544: The Regional African Satellite Communication Organization (RASCOM) will provide telecommunication services, direct TV broadcast services and Internet access in rural areas of Africa. Under an agreement with RASCOM, RascomStar-QAF (a private company registered in Mauritius ) will implement RASCOM's first 14 communications satellite project. This joint African project is expected to lower the continent's dependency on international satellite networks such as Intelsat . RASCOM-QAF1
236-597: A Royal Navy expedition led by Commodore Josias Rowley , R.N. , an Anglo-Irish aristocrat , was sent to capture the island. Despite winning the Battle of Grand Port against the British, the French could not prevent the British from landing at Cap Malheureux three months later. They formally surrendered the island on the fifth day of the invasion, 3 December 1810, on terms allowing settlers to keep their land and property and to use
354-583: A coral reef and extensive limestone deposits. According to Statistics Mauritius, at 1 July 2019, the population of the island was estimated at 43,371. Invasion of Isle de France The Invasion of Isle de France was a complicated but successful British amphibious operation in the Indian Ocean , launched in November 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars . During the operation, a substantial military force
472-543: A helium leak aboard the spacecraft would delay its activation. On 2008-01-08 the company announced the perigee of the satellite's orbit would be raised, and also acknowledged that if the satellite eventually reached geostationary orbit its useful lifetime would be significantly reduced. On 2008-02-04 Thales Alenia Space announced the satellite had reached its intended geostationary orbit at 2.85° East. They expect its lifetime to be slightly over 2 years. On 2008-09-09 Thales Alenia Space announced it would supply RASCOMSTAR-QAF with
590-520: A high-income economy . It is amongst the most competitive and most developed economies in the African region. The country is a welfare state . The government provides free universal health care , free education up through the tertiary level , and free public transportation for students, senior citizens, and the disabled. Mauritius is consistently ranked as the most peaceful country in Africa. Along with
708-468: A century with the aim of exploiting the local ebony forests, establishing a consistent sugar and arrack production using cane plant cuttings imported from Java together with over three hundred Malagasy slaves, before abandoning their efforts. France took the uninhabited island in 1715, renaming the island " Isle de France ". In 1810, the United Kingdom seized the island , and four years later, under
826-524: A day's wage and came from all over the island to attend a giant meeting at the Champ de Mars. Following the dockers' strikes, trade unionist Emmanuel Anquetil was deported to Rodrigues, Maurice Curé and Pandit Sahadeo were placed under house arrest, whilst numerous strikers were jailed. Governor Sir Bede Clifford assisted Mr Jules Leclezio of the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate to counter the effects of
944-711: A few private households. World War I broke out in August 1914. Many Mauritians volunteered to fight in Europe against the Germans and in Mesopotamia against the Turks. But the war affected Mauritius much less than the wars of the eighteenth century. In fact, the 1914–1918 war was a period of great prosperity, due to a boom in sugar prices. In 1919, the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate came into being, which included 70% of all sugar producers. The 1920s saw
1062-570: A list of all the vessels captured, military and civilian, on 15 February 1811. The British also seized 209 heavy cannon. The British recaptured the East Indiamen Ceylon , Charlton and United Kingdom , which the French were using as prison ships. Among the hundreds of prisoners released were the survivors of the Battle of Grand Port and the crews and passengers from the Indiamen captured over
1180-663: A naval base and a shipbuilding centre. Under his governorship, numerous buildings were erected, a number of which are still standing. These include part of Government House, the Château de Mon Plaisir, and the Line Barracks, the headquarters of the police force . The island was under the administration of the French East India Company , which maintained its presence until 1767. During the French rule, slaves were brought from parts of Africa such as Mozambique and Zanzibar . As
1298-500: A new five-year term. On 25 July 2020, Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius, leaking up to 1,000 tonnes of heavy oil into a pristine lagoon. Its location on the edge of protected fragile marine ecosystems and a wetland of international importance made the MV Wakashio oil spill one of the worst environmental disasters ever to hit the western Indian Ocean. On 10 November 2024,
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#17328580779491416-568: A new satellite which will provide continuity of service for RASCOMSTAR-QAF customers. Like RASCOM-QAF1, RASCOM-QAF1R will be based on the Spacebus 4000 B3 platform and will be fitted with twelve Ku-band and eight C-band transponders. Launch aboard an Ariane 5 ECA occurred on August 4, 2010. Mauritius Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius , is an island country in the Indian Ocean , about 2,000 kilometres (1,100 nautical miles) off
1534-458: A petition that was sent to Governor Gordon . A commission was appointed and recommended several measures that would affect the lives of Indian labourers during the next fifty years. In 1885, a new constitution was introduced. It was referred to as Cens Démocratique and it incorporated some of the principles advocated by one of the Creole leaders, Onésipho Beaugeard. It created elected positions in
1652-447: A political prisoner. He managed to escape from prison and plotted a rebellion that would free the island's slaves. He was betrayed by his associate Laizaf and was caught by a group of militiamen and summarily executed . In 1832, d'Épinay launched the first Mauritian newspaper ( Le Cernéen ), which was not controlled by the government. In the same year, there was a move by the procureur-general to abolish slavery without compensation to
1770-725: A primarily sugar-dominated plantation-based colony until independence, in 1968. In 1965, the UK split the Chagos Archipelago from British Mauritius to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). The local population was forcibly expelled and the largest island, Diego Garcia , was leased to the United States. Ruling on the sovereignty dispute between Mauritius and the UK , the International Tribunal for
1888-492: A report of the island's social problems caused by overpopulation and the monoculture of sugar cane. This led to an intense campaign to halt the population explosion, and the decade registered a sharp decline in population growth. In early 1965, a political assassination took place in the suburb of Belle-Rose, in the town of Quatre Bornes, where Labour activist Rampersad Surath was beaten to death by thugs of rival party Parti Mauricien . On 10 May 1965, racial riots broke out in
2006-494: A result, the island's population rose dramatically from 15,000 to 49,000 within thirty years. Slave traders from Madagascar - Sakalava or Arabs - bought slaves from slavers in the Arab Swahili coast or Portuguese Mozambique and stopped at Seychelles for supplies before shipping the slaves to the slave markets of Mauritius, Réunion and India. Of the 80,000 slaves imported to Réunion and Mauritius between 1769 and 1793, 45%
2124-456: A rival of Napoléon I . He ruled as Governor of Isle de France and Réunion from 1803 to 1810. British naval cartographer and explorer Matthew Flinders was arrested and detained by General Decaen on the island from 1803 to 1810, in contravention of an order from Napoléon. During the Napoleonic Wars , Mauritius became a base from which French corsairs organised successful raids on British commercial ships. The raids continued until 1810, when
2242-575: A two-seat majority, after striking an alliance with the PMSD of Gaetan Duval . In 1982 an MMM - PSM government (led by PM Anerood Jugnauth , Deputy PM Harish Boodhoo and Finance Minister Paul Bérenger ) was elected. However, ideological and personality differences emerged within the MMM and PSM leadership. The power struggle between Bérenger and Jugnauth peaked in March 1983. Jugnauth travelled to New Delhi to attend
2360-579: Is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system with Mauritius highly ranked for economic and political freedom being listed by The Economist Democracy Index as the only country in Africa with full democracy . The V-Dem Democracy Indices rated Mauritius as an "electoral autocracy". Mauritius ranks 72nd (high) in the Human Development Index , and the World Bank classifies it as
2478-488: Is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago. Together with Saint Brandon, Réunion, and Rodrigues, the island is part of the Mascarene Islands . These islands emerged as a result of gigantic underwater volcanic eruptions that happened thousands of kilometres to the east of the continental block made up of Africa and Madagascar. They are no longer volcanically active and
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#17328580779492596-515: Is surrounded by more than 150 km (100 mi) of white sandy beaches, and the lagoons are protected from the open sea by the world's third-largest coral reef, which surrounds the island. Just off the Mauritian coast lie some 49 uninhabited islands and islets , several of which have been declared natural reserves for endangered species. Mauritius Island ( Mauritian Creole : Lil Moris ; French: Île Maurice , pronounced [il moʁis] )
2714-705: Is the first satellite entirely dedicated to the African continent. Thales Alenia Space built the satellite in the Cannes Mandelieu Space Center , France . The company has delivered the satellite in-orbit, and will supply the ground infrastructure needed to operate it. The spacecraft is based on the Spacebus 4000B3 platform, with a payload of twelve Ku-band transponders and eight C-band transponders. It weighed about 3,200 kilograms (7,100 lb) at launch. Launch aboard an Ariane 5GS rocket took place on 2007-12-21. On 2007-12-29 Thales Alenia Space announced that
2832-492: The Code Noir was established to regulate slavery; it categorised one group of human beings as "goods", allowing the owner of these "goods" to be able to obtain insurance money and compensation in case of loss of his "goods". The 1735 arrival of French governor Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais coincided with the development of a prosperous economy based on sugar production. Mahé de La Bourdonnais established Port Louis as
2950-650: The 2010 elections the Labour–MSM–PMSD alliance secured power and Navin Ramgoolam remained PM until 2014. The MSM–PMSD–ML coalition was victorious at the 2014 elections under Anerood Jugnauth's leadership. Despite disagreements within the ruling alliance that led to the departure of PMSD, the MSM–ML stayed in power for their full 5-year term. On 21 January 2017, Sir Anerood Jugnauth announced his resignation and that his son and Finance Minister Pravind Jugnauth would assume
3068-576: The 7th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement summit; on his return, Bérenger proposed constitutional changes that would strip power from the Prime Minister. At Jugnauth's request, PM Indira Gandhi of India planned an armed intervention involving the Indian Navy and Indian Army to prevent a coup under the code name Operation Lal Dora . The MMM - PSM government split up nine months after
3186-567: The Bombay Army arrived, followed on 6 November by the Madras Army . On Rodriguez the invasion plans were finalised, HMS Staunch sent to reconnoitre the northern coastline of Isle de France to seek a suitable beach. Command of the landing and the naval support role was given to Captain Philip Beaver , who had a reputation as an expert in amphibious operations . Keating was placed in command of
3304-661: The Indian Ocean and among the military equipment captured were five French Navy frigates and 209 heavy cannon . Isle de France was retained by Britain at the end of the war under the name of Mauritius and remained part of the British Empire until 1968. The operation was the culmination of two years of conflict over the island and the neighbouring Île Bourbon between frigate squadrons commanded by Josias Rowley and Jacques Hamelin . Hamelin repeatedly raided British trade convoys and Rowley responded with amphibious assaults on French harbours, but neither had gained ascendancy by
3422-462: The Napoleonic Wars . Under British rule, the island's name reverted to Mauritius / m ə ˈ r ɪ ʃ ə s / . Mauritius is also commonly known as Maurice ( pronounced [mɔʁis] ) and Île Maurice in French, Moris ( pronounced [moʁis] ) in Mauritian Creole . The island of Mauritius was uninhabited before its first recorded visit by Arab sailors in
3540-512: The Newspapers and Periodicals Amendment Act , the government tried to make every newspaper provide a bank guarantee of half a million rupees. Forty-three journalists protested by participating in a public demonstration in Port Louis, in front of Parliament. They were arrested and freed on bail. This caused a public outcry and the government had to review its policy. There was also dissatisfaction in
3658-530: The Treaty of Paris , France ceded Mauritius and its dependencies to the United Kingdom. The British colony of Mauritius now included Rodrigues, Agaléga, St. Brandon, the Chagos Archipelago , and, until 1906, the Seychelles . Mauritius and France dispute sovereignty over the island of Tromelin . The treaty failed to mention it specifically. Mauritius became the British Empire 's main sugar-producing colony and remained
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3776-433: The hotspot now rests under Réunion Island. Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 to 800 metres (1,000 to 2,600 ft) above sea level. The land rises from coastal plains to a central plateau where it reaches a height of 670 m (2,200 ft); the highest peak is in the south-west, Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire at 828 metres (2,717 ft). Streams and rivers speckle
3894-422: The 1MR mutinying. During World War II, conditions were hard in the country; the prices of commodities doubled but workers' salaries increased only by 10 to 20 percent. There was civil unrest, and the colonial government censored all trade union activities. However, the labourers of Belle Vue Harel Sugar Estate went on strike on 27 September 1943. Police officers eventually fired directly at the crowd, resulting in
4012-450: The 1MR proved to be politically unpopular on the basis of some troops resenting conscription and the battalion overseas comprising solely non-white troops, exacerbating racial tensions in the country. The 1MR troops were further aggrieved at the segregation they were subject to, unequal pay, physically demanding training, and were fearful of the Japanese soldiers, all these factors culminated in
4130-430: The British brought 8,740 Indian soldiers to the island. Aapravasi Ghat , in the bay at Port Louis and now a UNESCO site, was the first British colony to serve as a major reception centre for indentured servants . The labourers brought from India were not always fairly treated, and a Frenchman of German origin, Adolphe de Plevitz, made himself the unofficial protector of these immigrants. In 1871 he helped them to write
4248-399: The British force were unhappy with the terms of the surrender, the British commanders were relieved to have the invasion complete before the hurricane season began later in the month. The danger to the 70 ships in the British fleet from such a storm was serious and it was vitally important that they be in a safe harbour when the hurricane season began. The surrender of Isle de France marked
4366-591: The Dutch East India Company brought enslaved Malagasy to cut down ebony trees and to work in the new tobacco and sugar cane plantations. Several attempts to establish a colony permanently were subsequently made, but the settlements never developed enough to produce dividends, causing the Dutch to abandon Mauritius in 1710. A 1755 article in the English Leeds Intelligencer claims that the island
4484-453: The EPZ (Export Processing Zone) sector. Industrialisation began to spread to villages as well, and attracted young workers from all ethnic communities. As a result, the sugar industry began to lose its hold on the economy. Large retail chains began opening stores in 1985 and offered credit facilities to low-income earners, thus allowing them to afford basic household appliances. There was also a boom in
4602-443: The French front while a second attack by Madras sepoys outflanked the French line and disrupted it, allowing a successful frontal assault. With their defences breached the French fell back and on 2 December Decaen proposed a ceasefire, which was accepted. The following day Decaen surrendered, although with guarantees that he and the garrison would be repatriated and allowed to retain their personal arms and standards. Although some in
4720-399: The French garrison was repatriated, the invaders captured six French frigates ( Manche , Astrée , Bellone and Minerve , Iphigénie and Néréide ) and several smaller warships (the corvette Victor , the brig Entreprenant , the aviso Lutin and schooner-aviso Mouche n°23 ) in the various harbours of Isle de France, as well as 24 merchant ships. Lloyd's List published
4838-497: The French government. Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre lived on the island from 1768 to 1771, then went back to France, where he wrote Paul et Virginie , a love story that made the Isle de France famous wherever the French language was spoken. In 1796 the settlers broke away from French control when the government in Paris attempted to abolish slavery. Two famous French governors were
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4956-454: The French language and law of France in criminal and civil matters. Under British rule, the island's name reverted to Mauritius. The British administration, which began with Sir Robert Farquhar as its first governor , oversaw rapid social and economic changes. However, it was tainted by the Ratsitatane episode. Ratsitatane, nephew of King Radama of Madagascar , was brought to Mauritius as
5074-738: The French naval commander was a serious blow to the squadron on Isle de France, which was also beset by supply problems resulting from a lack of naval stores and food supplies. Unable to make the lengthy cruises needed to disrupt the Indian Ocean trade routes, they were forced to remain in harbour as Rowley was heavily reinforced during September and October 1810, and eventually the senior naval officer, Captain Jean Dornal de Guy , had his four frigates, Manche , Astrée , Bellone and Minerve , moored in Port-Louis and their crew disembarked to reinforce
5192-604: The Grand River North West bridge, and clashed with police. An act of Parliament was passed on 16 December 1975 to extend the right to vote to 18-year-olds. This was seen as an attempt to appease the frustration of the younger generation. The next general elections took place on 20 December 1976 . The Labour-CAM coalition won only 28 seats out of 62. The MMM secured 34 seats in Parliament but outgoing Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam managed to remain in office, with
5310-437: The Indian Ocean, including approximately 400,000 km (150,000 sq mi) jointly managed with the Seychelles . Mauritius is 2,000 km (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of Africa, between latitudes 19°58.8'S and 20°31.7'S and longitudes 57°18.0'E and 57°46.5'E . It is 65 km (40 mi) long and 45 km (30 mi) wide. Its land area is 1,864.8 km (720.0 sq mi). The island
5428-676: The June 1982 election. According to an Information Ministry official the nine months was a "socialist experiment". Harish Boodhoo dissolved his party PSM to enable all PSM parliamentarians to join Jugnauth's new party MSM, thus remaining in power whilst distancing themselves from MMM . The MSM-Labour-PMSD coalition was victorious at the August 1983 elections, resulting in Anerood Jugnauth as PM and Gaëtan Duval as Deputy PM . That period saw growth in
5546-602: The Law of the Sea has ordered the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Given its geographic location and colonial past, the people of Mauritius are diverse in ethnicity, culture , language and faith. It is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the most practised religion. Indo-Mauritians make up the bulk of the population with significant Creole , Sino-Mauritian and Franco-Mauritian minorities. The island's government
5664-568: The Legislative Council – although the franchise was restricted mainly to the white French and fair-skinned Indian elite who owned real estate. In 1886, Governor John Pope Hennessy nominated Gnanadicarayen Arlanda as the first ever Indo-Mauritian member of the ruling council – despite the sugar oligarchy's preference for rival Indo-Mauritian Emile Sandapa. Arlanda served until 1891. In 1903, motorcars were introduced in Mauritius, and in 1910,
5782-577: The MMM, including Paul Bérenger, were imprisoned on 23 December 1971. The MMM leader was released a year later. In 1973, Mauritius became the first country in Africa to be free from diagnoses of malaria . In May 1975, a student revolt that started at the University of Mauritius swept across the country. The students were unsatisfied with an education system that did not meet their aspirations, and that gave limited prospects for future employment. On 20 May, thousands of students tried to enter Port-Louis over
5900-583: The Mozambique channel, following the East African shore line. In 1598, a Dutch squadron under Admiral Wybrand van Warwyck landed at Grand Port and named the island Mauritius , in honour of Prince Maurice van Nassau , stadtholder of the Dutch Republic . Later the island became a French colony and was renamed Isle de France . On 3 December 1810, the French surrendered the island to the United Kingdom during
6018-625: The Vicomte de Souillac (who constructed the Chaussée in Port Louis and encouraged farmers to settle in the district of Savanne) and Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux (who saw to it that the French in the Indian Ocean should have their headquarters in Mauritius instead of Pondicherry in India). Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen was a successful general in the French Revolutionary Wars and, in some ways,
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#17328580779496136-412: The advance along the coast. The army's orders were to seize Port Napoleon and capture Governor Charles Decaen , action which, it was hoped, would be sufficient to force the surrender of the entire island. Subsequent landings would be made to the west of the capital if French resistance was stronger than expected. On 15 October, Bertie arrived at Rodriguez with his squadron from Cape Town. On 3 November,
6254-527: The bay. The ensuing Battle of Grand Port was a disaster for the British, as two frigates were wrecked on the reefs and two others captured with their entire crews: only the very seriously wounded, including Captain Nesbit Willoughby , were repatriated to Île Bourbon. With his squadron reduced to a single frigate, Rowley sent urgent messages to the British bases at Madras and Cape Town requesting reinforcements. The naval authorities responded by sending
6372-525: The best option for Britain was to give complete independence to its colonies. Thus, since the late fifties, the way was paved for independence. Later in 1965, after the Lancaster Conference, the Chagos Archipelago was excised from the territory of Mauritius to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). A general election took place on 7 August 1967, and the Independence Party obtained
6490-467: The birth of the Labour Party , launched by Maurice Curé . Emmanuel Anquetil rallied the urban workers while Pandit Sahadeo concentrated on the rural working class. The Uba riots of 1937 resulted in reforms by the local British government that improved labour conditions and led to the un-banning of labour unions. Labour Day was celebrated for the first time in 1938. More than 30,000 workers sacrificed
6608-491: The bridge, allowing Keating to rapidly cross and threaten Port Napoleon. At Grand Baie, the remainder of the invasion force were coming ashore, so that the entire army had landed by midday, although Abercromby himself elected to stay with Beaver on HMS Nisus and follow the advance from offshore. On 1 December, Vandermaesen made a stand before Port Napoleon, defending the entrance to the town with his available regular troops and some small cannon. Keating attacked him, engaging
6726-585: The capital and largest city, Port Louis . The country spans 2,040 square kilometres (790 sq mi) and has an exclusive economic zone covering 2,300,000 square kilometres (670,000 square nautical miles). Based on the only surviving map of the Portuguese discoveries dated 1502 called the Cantino planisphere , it is generally accepted that Arab sailors first discovered the uninhabited island around 975, naming it Dina Arobi . In 1507, Portuguese sailors visited
6844-466: The capital, which he placed under the command of General Edmé-Martin Vandermaesen . On 22 November 1810, all the British troops and ships were assembled and Bertie ordered the squadron to rendezvous off Grand Baie, which was reached early on 29 November despite adverse winds. The vanguard landed unopposed, their landing craft supported by ship's boats carrying cannon , supplemented by the firepower of
6962-499: The coastal historic village of Mahébourg to assault the Indo-Mauritian spectators who were watching a Hindustani movie at Cinéma Odéon. Mahébourg police recorded nearly 100 complaints of assaults on Indo-Mauritians. At the Lancaster Conference of 1965, it became clear that Britain wanted to relieve itself of the colony of Mauritius. In 1959, Harold Macmillan had made his famous " Wind of Change Speech " in which he acknowledged that
7080-634: The country in case the British imperial troops had to leave. On 24 March 1943, the Mauritius Regiment , was created as an imperial unit and a new subsidiary of the East Africa Command (EAC). In late 1943, the 1st Battalion of the Mauritius Regiment (1MR) was sent to Madagascar for training, and in their place a battalion of the King's African Rifles (KAR) was stationed in Mauritius. The dispatch of
7198-402: The deaths of four labourers. This became known as the 1943 Belle Vue Harel Massacre . Social worker and leader of the Jan Andolan movement Basdeo Bissoondoyal organised the funeral ceremonies of the four dead labourers. Three months later, on 12 December 1943, Bissoondoyal organised a mass gathering at "Marie Reine de la Paix" in Port Louis, and the significant crowd of workers from all over
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#17328580779497316-474: The economy but also the political life of the country. From the end of nominated Arlanda's term in 1891, until 1926, there had been no Indo-Mauritian representation in the Legislative Council. However, at the 1926 elections, Dunputh Lallah and Rajcoomar Gujadhur became the first Indo-Mauritians to be elected to the Legislative Council. At Grand Port, Lallah won over rivals Fernand Louis Morel and Gaston Gebert; at Flacq, Gujadhur defeated Pierre Montocchio. 1936 saw
7434-414: The education sector. There were not enough high-quality secondary colleges to answer the growing demand of primary school leavers who had got through their CPE (Certificate of Primary Education). In 1991, a master plan for education failed to get national support and contributed to the government's downfall. In December 1995, Navin Ramgoolam was elected as PM of the Labour–MMM alliance. In October 1996,
7552-442: The end of the 10th century. Its name Dina Arobi has been associated with Arab sailors who first discovered the island. The Treaty of Tordesillas purported to give the Kingdom of Portugal the right to colonise this part of the world. In 1507, Portuguese sailors came to the uninhabited island and established a visiting base. Diogo Fernandes Pereira , a Portuguese navigator, was the first European known to land in Mauritius. He named
7670-415: The existence of the island now known as Mauritius is on a 1502 map called the Cantino planisphere which was smuggled out of Portugal, for the Duke of Ferrara, by the Italian 'spy' Alberto Cantino. On this purloined copy of a Portuguese map, Mauritius bore the name Dina Arobi (likely Arabic : دنية عروبي Daniyah ‘Arūbi or corruption of دبية عروبي Dībah ‘Arūbi ). In 1507, Portuguese sailors visited
7788-473: The face of an attack by British regulars. He also bolstered his forces by attempting to recruit volunteers from among the hundreds of prisoners of war held in the island's prisons (a principal cause of the food shortages on Isle de France). Over 500 volunteers agreed to join his army, the majority of them Irishmen , who were promised French assistance in obtaining Ireland's independence from British rule . Altogether, Decaen could muster 1,300 regulars to defend
7906-421: The final British operation of the campaign and the capture of the last French territory east of Africa. The island was restored to its pre-1715 name of Mauritius and the towns renamed under Decaen (such as Port Napoleon) were restored to their pre- Revolutionary names. Governor Robert Townsend Farquhar of Île Bourbon was placed in administrative control of the island, Île Bourbon taken over by Keating. Although
8024-402: The first President . This was under a transitional arrangement, in which he was replaced by Cassam Uteem later that year. Political power remained with the prime minister. Despite an improvement in the economy, which coincided with a fall in the price of petrol and a favourable dollar exchange rate, the government did not enjoy full popularity. As early as 1984, there was discontent. Through
8142-406: The first taxis came into service. The electrification of Port Louis took place in 1909, and in the same decade the Mauritius Hydro Electric Company of the Atchia Brothers was authorised to provide power to the towns of upper Plaines Wilhems . The 1910s were a period of political agitation. The rising middle class (made up of doctors, lawyers, and teachers) began to challenge the political power of
8260-423: The forces they had available to join Rowley at Rodriguez. The first two frigates to arrive, HMS Africaine and HMS Ceylon were both attacked while sailing alone and captured by Hamelin's squadron, which was now blockading Île Bourbon. Rowley was able to recapture both ships within hours of their loss, and was also able to seize Hamelin and his flagship Vénus at the action of 18 September 1810 . The loss of
8378-418: The fort as they left. During the morning of 30 November, Keating pushed southwards to the River Tombeau which overlooked Port Napoleon, his front units skirmishing with French defenders across the river, during which Decaen himself was lightly wounded by a musket ball. The bridge over the river had been held by a force of militia, but they fell back before the British advance and failed to properly demolish
8496-438: The garrison of the town. The invasion of Isle de France, although prompted by the defeat at Grand Port, had been the ultimate intention of Rowley's squadron since its creation in 1809 and had been planned carefully both on a strategic level by Bertie at Cape Town and Lord Minto at Madras and on a tactical level by Rowley and his British Army counterpart Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Sheehy Keating on Rodriguez. The soldiers of
8614-471: The invasion force were to consist of British and Indian troops, and led by General John Abercromby (although they were also accompanied by Rear-Admiral William O'Bryen Drury , whom Bertie ordered to return to Madras before the invasion) while the naval forces to protect and support the invasion force were to be provided by Bertie from the Cape of Good Hope. These forces were to gather at Rodriguez in preparation for
8732-422: The invasion. The landings themselves were planned by Rowley and Keating, who relied on Willoughby's intimate knowledge of the coastline of Isle de France and a series of careful surveys of the reefs that surrounded the island to select a landing site. The chosen point was at Grand Baie , on the northwestern coastline approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the island's capital Port Napoleon . The intention
8850-521: The island "Ilha do Cisne" ("Island of the Swan"). The Portuguese did not stay long as they were not interested in these islands. The Mascarene Islands were named after Pedro Mascarenhas , Viceroy of Portuguese India , after his visit to the islands in 1512. Rodrigues Island was named after Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues , who first came upon the island in 1528. In 1598, a Dutch squadron under Admiral Wybrand Van Warwyck landed at Grand Port and named
8968-515: The island "Mauritius" after Prince Maurice of Nassau ( Dutch : Maurits van Nassau ) of the Dutch Republic . The Dutch inhabited the island in 1638, from which they exploited ebony trees and introduced sugar cane , domestic animals and deer. It was from here that Dutch navigator Abel Tasman set out to seek the Great Southern Land, mapping parts of Tasmania , New Zealand and New Guinea . The first Dutch settlement lasted 20 years. In 1639,
9086-484: The island confirmed the popularity of the Jan Andolan movement. After the proclamation of the 1947 Constitution of Mauritius , the general elections were held on 9 August 1948 – and, for the first time, the colonial government expanded the franchise to all adults who could write their name in one of the island's 19 languages, abolishing the previous gender and property qualifications. Guy Rozemont 's Labour Party won
9204-554: The island, many formed in the cracks created by lava flows. The autonomous island of Rodrigues is located 560 km (350 mi) to the east of Mauritius, with an area 108 km (42 sq mi). Rodrigues is a volcanic island rising from a ridge along the edge of the Mascarene Plateau . The island is hilly with a central spine culminating in the highest peak, Mountain Limon at 398 m (1,306 ft). The island also has
9322-479: The island. In early 1729, Indians from Pondicherry, India , arrived in Mauritius aboard the vessel La Sirène . Work contracts for these craftsmen were signed in 1734 at the time when they acquired their freedom. From 1767 to 1810, except for a brief period during the French Revolution when the inhabitants set up a government virtually independent of France, the island was controlled by officials appointed by
9440-607: The islands and prepare for invasion attempts once the required forces could be spared. During 1809 and the spring of 1810, Rowley maintained the blockade and launched a series of small raids, the largest being at Saint Paul on Île Bonaparte in September 1809. By July 1810, Rowley had developed sufficient forces at his island base on Rodriguez to successfully invade and capture Île Bonaparte, which he restored to its former name of "Île Bourbon". In August, Rowley attempted to extend his blockade of Isle de France by seizing small islands off
9558-417: The journey from France to the Indian Ocean was a long one. Discovering that the island was in British hands, Roquebert attempted to return to France but was chased by the frigates stationed on Mauritius and captured at the action of 20 May 1811 . Only Clorinde escaped the British pursuit. The British Army troops attached to the force included sepoys and garrison artillery from Madras and soldiers from
9676-413: The larger ships offshore. Although there was some disruption in the early stages of the attack caused by adverse weather conditions, by 21:00 the entire vanguard and naval brigades were ashore. The landing had been effected with just two casualties, both men who died of natural causes. Keating took command of the vanguard and advanced on Fort Malartic, the garrison retreating before his troops and blowing up
9794-501: The loss of their slaves, who had been imported from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation. The abolition of slavery had important effects on Mauritius's society, economy and population. The planters brought a large number of indentured labourers from India 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 on construction sites. Additionally,
9912-453: The main ports that could control the passage of shipping through the coral reefs that surround the island. The first operation was to capture Île de la Passe off Grand Port , which was successfully secured on 13 August. Shortly afterwards a French squadron forced passage into the harbour, and Captain Samuel Pym ordered the four frigates of the blockade squadron to attack the ships anchored in
10030-440: The majority of seats. In January 1968, six weeks before the declaration of independence the 1968 Mauritian riots occurred in Port Louis leading to the deaths of 25 people. Mauritius adopted a new constitution, and independence was proclaimed on 12 March 1968. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam became the first prime minister of an independent Mauritius – with Queen Elizabeth II remaining head of state as Queen of Mauritius. In 1969,
10148-512: The majority of the votes with 11 of the 19 elected seats won by Hindus . However, the Governor-General Donald Mackenzie-Kennedy appointed 12 Conservatives to the Legislative Council on 23 August 1948 to perpetuate the predominance of white Franco-Mauritians . In 1948, Emilienne Rochecouste became the first woman to be elected to the Legislative Council. Guy Rozemont 's party bettered its position in 1953, and, on
10266-573: The ocean's trade routes every year, mostly in the heavily guarded convoys of East Indiamen . The French recognised the economic importance of these convoys but until 1808 failed to provide sufficient forces to disrupt the Indian trade. Late in 1808, it was decided to send a strong frigate squadron to the Ocean under the command of Jacques Hamelin to augment the forces available on the island bases of Île Bonaparte and Isle de France and raid British shipping in
10384-471: The office of prime minister. The transition took place as planned on 23 January 2017. In 2018, Mauritian president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned over a financial scandal. The incumbent president is Prithvirajsing Roopun who has served since December 2019. In the November 2019 Mauritius general elections , the ruling Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) won more than half of the seats in parliament, securing incumbent Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth
10502-513: The oligarchs in Curepipe. This became known as the 1911 Curepipe riots . Shops and offices were damaged in the capital, and one person was killed. In the same year, 1911, the first public cinema shows took place in Curepipe, and, in the same town, a stone building was erected to house the Royal College. In 1912, a wider telephone network came into service, used by the government, business firms, and
10620-517: The opposition coalition, Alliance du Changement , won 60 of the 64 seats in the Mauritian general election . Its leader, former prime minister Navin Ramgoolam , became new prime minister. The total land area of the country is 2,040 km (790 sq mi). It is the 170th largest nation in the world by size. The Republic of Mauritius comprises Mauritius Island and several outlying islands . The nation's exclusive economic zone covers about 2.3 million km (890,000 sq mi) of
10738-711: The opposition party, Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), was founded, led by Paul Bérenger . Later, in 1971, the MMM – backed by unions – called a series of strikes in the port, which caused a state of emergency in the country. The coalition government of the Labour Party and the PMSD (Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate) reacted by curtailing civil liberties and curbing freedom of the press . Two unsuccessful apparent assassination attempts were made against Paul Bérenger in 1971, killing his supporter Fareed Muttur and dock worker and activist Azor Adélaïde . General elections were postponed and public meetings were prohibited. Members of
10856-504: The other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its biodiverse flora and fauna with many unique species endemic to the country. The main island was the only known home of the dodo , which, along with several other avian species, became extinct soon after human settlement. Other endemic animals, such as the echo parakeet , the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon , have survived and are subject to intensive and successful ongoing conservation efforts. The first historical evidence of
10974-503: The previous year. Among the French prisoners, were discovered 12 deserters from the British Army or Royal Navy (at least 40 successfully passed as Frenchmen and were repatriated to France). These 12 were put on trial on their return to Britain: two were later hanged and five transported . Rewards were forthcoming, particularly for Bertie, who was made a baronet . This created a scandal when Admiral Drury accused Bertie of taking credit for
11092-480: The region. Hamelin was an able commander and between May 1809 and July 1810 his ships captured seven East Indiamen and a large number of small merchant ships and warships. The British response to Hamelin's deployment was provided by Admiral Bertie, who collected a squadron of ships from those available at the Cape of Good Hope and placed them under the command of Commodore Rowley. Bertie gave Rowley instructions to blockade
11210-419: The republic and was thus able to elect its own representatives to administer the island. In 2003, the prime ministership was transferred to Paul Bérenger of the MMM, and Sir Anerood Jugnauth became president. Bérenger was the first Franco-Mauritian Prime Minister in the country's post-Independence history. In the 2005 elections , Navin Ramgoolam became PM under the new coalition of Labour–PMXD–VF–MR–MMSM. In
11328-419: The rise of a "retrocessionism" movement, which favoured the retrocession of Mauritius to France. The movement rapidly collapsed because none of the candidates who wanted Mauritius to be given back to France were elected in the 1921 elections. In the post-war recession, there was a sharp drop in sugar prices. Many sugar estates closed down, marking the end of an era for the sugar magnates who had not only controlled
11446-487: The root causes of the social disturbance. The resulting report delved into the cause of poverty and qualified many tenacious beliefs as perceptions. In January 2000, political activist Rajen Sabapathee was shot dead after he escaped from La Bastille jail. Sir Anerood Jugnauth of the MSM returned to power in September 2000 after securing an alliance with the MMM. In 2002, the island of Rodrigues became an autonomous entity within
11564-502: The slave owners. This gave rise to discontent, and, to check an eventual rebellion, the government ordered all the inhabitants to surrender their arms. Furthermore, a stone fortress, Fort Adelaide, was built on a hill (now known as the Citadel hill) in the centre of Port Louis to quell any uprising. Slavery was gradually abolished over several years after 1833, and the planters ultimately received two million pounds sterling in compensation for
11682-410: The southeastern coast of East Africa , east of Madagascar . It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues , Agaléga , and St. Brandon (Cargados Carajos shoals). The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, along with nearby Réunion (a French overseas department ), are part of the Mascarene Islands . The main island of Mauritius, where the population is concentrated, hosts
11800-460: The strength of the election results, demanded universal suffrage . Constitutional conferences were held in London in 1955 and 1957, and the ministerial system was introduced. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage on 9 March 1959. The general election was again won by the Labour Party, led this time by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam . A Constitutional Review Conference
11918-572: The strike by using alternative workers known as 'black legs'. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, many Mauritians volunteered to serve under the British flag in Africa and the Near East, fighting against the German and Italian armies. Mauritius was never really threatened, but in 1943, several British ships were sunk outside Port Louis by German submarines. In the initial stages of the war, locally recruited military formations were raised in order to defend
12036-464: The sugar cane landowners. Eugène Laurent , mayor of Port Louis, was the leader of this new group; his party, Action Libérale , demanded that more people should be allowed to vote in the elections. Action Libérale was opposed by the Parti de l'Ordre, led by Henri Leclézio, the most influential of the sugar magnates. In 1911, there were riots in Port Louis due to a false rumour that Laurent had been murdered by
12154-442: The time Rowley sent most of his force to attack the port of Grand Port on Isle de France in August 1810. At the ensuing battle at Grand Port the British squadron was destroyed and Hamelin began to blockade Rowley on Île Bourbon. As British reinforcements were urgently dispatched, several actions were fought between recently arrived British ships and the more numerous French forces. At the last of these on 18 September 1810 , Hamelin
12272-667: The tourism industry, and new hotels sprang up throughout the island. In 1989 the stock exchange opened its doors, and in 1992, the freeport began operation. In 1990, the Prime Minister lost the vote on changing the Constitution to make the country a republic with Bérenger as president. On 12 March 1992, Mauritius was proclaimed a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations and the monarch removed as head of state. The last Governor-General of Mauritius , Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo , became
12390-553: The triple murder of political activists at Gorah-Issac Street in Port Louis led to several arrests and a long investigation. The year 1999 was marked by civil unrest and riots in February and then in May . Following the Kaya riots, President Cassam Uteem and Cardinal Jean Margéot toured the country and calm was restored after four days of turmoil. A commission of enquiry was set up to investigate
12508-460: The uninhabited island after being blown off course from their route to India via the Mozambique channel. The island appears with the Portuguese names Cirne (a typographical error where the 's' of the Portuguese 'Cisne' (Swan) became an 'r') or Do-Cerne (typo of 'do Cisne' meaning 'of' or 'belonging to the Swan') on early Portuguese maps, almost certainly from the name of a ship called Cisne which
12626-466: The uninhabited island, which bore the Portuguese names Cirne or Do-Cerne on early Portuguese maps . A Dutch fleet, under the command of Admiral Van Warwyck, landed at what is now the Grand Port District and took possession of the island in 1598, renaming the uninhabited islands after Maurice, Prince of Orange . A succession of short-lived Dutch attempts at permanent settlement took place over
12744-614: The vanguard of the land force, with Captain William Augustus Montagu commanding the naval brigade, and Abercromby in overall charge. Rowley would remain offshore in HMS Boadicea , as would Bertie, who took Africaine as his flagship. The French response to the impending British invasion was to mobilise the island's 10,000-strong militia. Despite their large numbers, this force was untrained and poorly armed and motivated. Decaen himself recognised that they would be unreliable in
12862-460: The village of Trois Boutiques near Souillac and progressed to the historic village of Mahébourg . A nationwide state of emergency was declared on the whole British colony. The riot was initiated by the murder of Police Constable Beesoo in his vehicle by a Creole gang. This was followed by the murder of a civilian named Mr. Robert Brousse in Trois Boutiques. The Creole gang then proceeded to
12980-399: The work of others (principally Drury himself). Mauritius, unlike Île Bourbon, remained in British hands after the end of the war in 1814 and was retained as part of the British Empire until granted independence in 1968. Although there were no further British operations in the region, the Mauritius campaign was not quite over. When news of the victory at Grand Port had reached France, there
13098-558: Was abandoned due to the large number of long tailed macaque monkeys "which destroyed everything in it," and that it was also known at the time as the Island of Monkeys . Portuguese sailors had brought these monkeys to the island from their native habitat in Southeast Asia, prior to Dutch rule. France, which already controlled neighbouring Île Bourbon (now Réunion ), took control of Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Isle de France . In 1723,
13216-472: Was captained by Diogo Fernandes Pereira in the 1507 expedition which discovered Mauritius and Rodrigues which he called ilha de Diogo Fernandes but poorly transcribed by non-Portuguese speakers as Domigo Friz or Domingo Frias . Diogo Fernandes Pereira may have been the first European to sail east of Madagascar island ('outer route' to the East Indies) rather than through the perceived safer route through
13334-481: Was defeated and captured by Rowley. This allowed Rowley to build his forces over the next two months until they were sufficient for a successful invasion, which was led by the recently arrived Admiral Albemarle Bertie . The Indian Ocean had been an important strategic region for British trade since the first British trading posts were developed in India . By the Napoleonic Wars , millions of pounds worth of goods crossed
13452-484: Was held in London in 1961, and a programme of further constitutional advance was established. The 1963 election was won by the Labour Party and its allies. The Colonial Office noted that politics of a communal nature was gaining ground in Mauritius and that the choice of candidates (by parties) and the voting behaviour (of electors) were governed by ethnic and caste considerations. Around that time, two eminent British academics, Richard Titmuss and James Meade , published
13570-476: Was landed by the Royal Navy at Grand Baie , on the French colony of Isle de France (now Mauritius ). Marching inland against weak French opposition, the British force was able to overwhelm the defenders in a series of minor engagements, culminating in the capture of the island's capital Port Napoleon and the surrender of Charles Decaen , the French governor. The surrender eliminated the last French territory in
13688-431: Was pressure to resupply and reinforce the victorious squadron under Hamelin and a small squadron commanded by Commodore François Roquebert was ordered to sail for Isle de France. This squadron included three frigates: Renommée , Clorinde and Néréide and carried extensive stores to repair and rearm Hamelin's frigates. It was not until February 1811 that Roquebert's squadron departed from Brest for Mauritius, and
13806-616: Was provided by slave traders of the Sakalava people in North West Madagascar, who raided East Africa and the Comoros for slaves, and the rest was provided by Arab slave traders who bought slaves from Portuguese Mozambique and transported them to Réunion via Madagascar. During the late eighteenth century, African slaves accounted for around 80 percent of the island's population, and by the early nineteenth century there were 60,000 slaves on
13924-444: Was to prepare an elite force of 1,555 men formed from the grenadier and light companies of the regiments attached to the invasion. This vanguard would storm ashore and advance rapidly towards the capital closely supported by a naval brigade and Royal Marines units, followed by the main body of the army of 5,293 soldiers. The entire force would have logistical assistance and artillery support from Royal Navy ships that would shadow
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