Mauritius Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Indian Ocean, off southeast coast of Africa; due east of Madagascar.

Language

The official languages are English and French (with French being the most dominant), the most commonly used are Creole (pidgin French with other languages added to the mix), Hindi and Bhojpuri. Urdu and Chinese are also spoken.

Area

2,040 sq km (788 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 4.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-type three-pin plugs are commonly used in hotels.

Population

1.25 million (Mauritius Government 2006).

Population Density

613 per sq km.

Capital City

Port Louis. Population: 150,000 (2006 estimate).

Government

Republic established in 1992. Gained independence from the UK in 1968.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam since 2005.

Head of State

President Sir Anerood Jugnauth since 2003.

Religion

48% Hindu, 32% Christian (mainly Roman Catholic), 17% Muslim, 2% Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism, 1% other.

Recent History

Post-independence Mauritian politics have been dominated by the Ramgoolam family (Navin being the son of the revered Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the first prime minister following independence) and by the two principal figures of the Mauritian Left, Paul Bérenger and (later Sir) Anerood Jugnauth. After over a decade of dominating Mauritian politics, Jugnauth handed the premiership over to Bérenger in 2003 (who became the first non-Hindu to hold the post), and the leadership of the Socialists to his son, Pravind. In the most recent election in 2005, Navin Ramgoolam won his second non-consecutive term.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +230. There are no area codes. There are a limited number of public telephone booths, mainly at the airport and in major hotels. Mauritius Telecom (www.mauritiustelecom.com) offers a good, reliable service and payphones are found in their customer service centers in towns around the island.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements with international mobile phone companies are available and coverage extends over the entire island. Local mobile calls are the same as the price of landline calls, so it's worth buying a local SIM card for your handset if you plan to make more than a few phone calls on the island.

Internet

There are Internet cafés in both main towns and tourist centers such as Grand Baie and Port Louis. Most hotels offer wireless Internet access.

Media

Mauritius has a free press, which means the media is full of colorful debate. The main language is French, but all the languages are represented in a variety of media, from Chinese newspapers to Bollywood movies. Some UK newspapers are available in their international editions at larger resorts and at big price mark ups.

Post

Airmail to Western Europe usually takes seven days; by sea, mail takes four to six weeks.Generally Mon-Fri 0815-1115 and 1200-1600, Sat 0815-1145.

Press

• Of the 10 daily newspapers, two are published in Chinese and the remainder in French.
• L'Express, Le Mauricien and Le Matinal have the highest circulation.
• News on Sunday is the weekly English-language newspaper.

Radio

• MBC stations include Radio Maurice 1 and 2, Kool FM, Taal FM and One World FM.
• Other stations include Top FM, Radio One and Radio Plus.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day

2011
1 Jan - 3 Jan New Year
20 Jan Thaipoosam Cavadee
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day
3 Feb Chinese New Year
3 Mar Maha Shivaratri
12 Mar National Day
3 Apr Ougadi
1 May Labor Day
31 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
2 Sep Ganesh Chaturthi
26 Oct Diwali (Festival of Lights)
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
2 Nov First Laborers’ Day
25 Dec Christmas Day

2012
1 Jan - 2 Jan New Year
20 Jan Thaipoosam Cavadee *
23 Jan Chinese New Year
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day
20 Feb Maha Shivaratri
12 Mar National Day
23 Mar Ougadi
1 May Labor Day
19 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
19 Sep Ganesh Chaturthi
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
2 Nov First Laborers’ Day
13 Nov Diwali (Festival of Lights)
25 Dec Christmas Day
* Date to be confirmed (a) Hindu festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon. The dates given above are approximations. (b) There is a diversity of cultures in Mauritius, each with its own set of holidays. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last from two to 10 days, depending on the town or region. (d) Chinese festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence.

Contact Information

Mauritius High Commission in the UK

32-33 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5NW, UK
Tel: (020) 7581 0294-6.
E-mail: londonmhc@btinternet.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1200 (consular section); 0930-1700 (general enquiries).

Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority in the UK

32 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5NW, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 3666.
Website: www.mauritiustourism.co.uk

Embassy of Mauritius in the USA

4301 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 441, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 244 1491/2.
Website: www.maurinet.com/embasydc.html