GENERAL INFORMATION ON MAURITIUS


Mauritius is situated just above the Tropic of Capricorn, in the South-West of the Indian Ocean, some 2,000 kilometers off the Coast of Africa.

Mauritius became an independent sovereign state on 12 March 2024 and a Republic since 12 March 1992. 

Mauritius has a 70-member National Assembly elected by universal adult suffrage. 

The Head of State is the President of the Republic. The Prime Minister, who presides over the Cabinet of Ministers, is the Head of Government.

CAPITAL-PORT LOUIS 


Port Louis was founded by the French governor, Mah� de Labourdonnais in 1735. It is the capital and main port of Mauritius. The harbour lies sheltered in a semi-circle of mountains. The city of Port Louis is the seat of government administration and houses the National Assembly and private sector offices. It is also the main commercial centre of the island and it still reflects the vestiges of the French epoch by the architecture of some particularly fine French colonial buildings, especially the Government House and the Municipal theatre.

LANGUAGES 


English is the official language. French is extensively used and Creole is widely spoken. Asian languages also form part of the linguistic mosaic. 

TIME


Mauritian time is four hours ahead of GMT.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE 


Mauritius has a moist tropical climate during summer and sub-tropical during winter. The summer months extend from November to April and winter from June to September. October and May are transition periods.

In the centre of the island, the temperature varies between 13�C and 19�C in July - August and between 19�C and 25�C in January. Along the coast, the temperature is about 5�C higher, reaching an average of 30�C at mid-day in February.

CURRENCY AND TAXES 


The local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MR) divided into 100 cents.