Here are 10 interesting facts about Mauritius:
1. While Mauritius is the island most people know about, The Republic of Mauritius comprises of the islands of Rodrigues, Agalega, St. Brandon and two more disputed territories as well. This means that Mauritius is actually just an island, while The Republic of Mauritius is a country comprising of a few other neighbouring islands as well.
2. The entire island of Mauritius is just 2040 km2 in area, making it the world’s 170th largest nation. In fact, the island is just 45 km wide and 65 km long.
3. More than 1.2 million people reside on these islands leading to a high population density, which is highest in the entire African continent. There are more women than men on the island, leading to a very healthy gender ratio.
4. Mauritius is the only African nation with Hinduism as the dominant religion.An estimate reveals that Mauritians on an average spend of more than 700 hours each year participating in religious activities.
5. Owing to a heavy presence of Indians on the island, Bhojpuri, a native Indian language primarily spoken in the Indian state of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, is a widespread native language spoken by a sizeable chunk of Mauritians. Bhojpuri music is on the rise in Mauritius owing to the surging popularity of Bhojpuri bands such as The Bhojpuri Boys.
6. Public Transport in Mauritius is free for students, people with disabilities and senior citizens! Did you know Luxembourg is the first country in the world to offer free public transport for all?
7. Mauritius’ peaceful atmosphere allows it to exist without needing to raise a standing army. This means that Mauritius doesn’t have an Army at all! Infact, the legendary American writer Mark Twain was once quoted saying: “Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and heaven was copied after Mauritius.”
8. Mauritius is surrounded by the World’s third-largest network of coral reefs which makes it a scuba diver’s paradise. Also, the city has received the World’s Leading Island Destination Award thrice in this decade.
9. Mauritius is often awarded as the best travel destination in the world for a honeymoon. This tropical paradise has everything from top tourist attractions to exciting activities to make your honeymoon a memorable affair.
10. In 2017, Mauritius was named one of the only four countries in the world which had no involvement in ongoing international or domestic conflict and no tensions with neighbouring countries. The others were Botswana, Chile and Uruguay.
This was all for Mauritius. Do let us know in the comments section if you found these facts interesting!
