Mauritius

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Coordinates: 20°12′S 57°30′E / 20.2°S 57.5°E / -20.2; 57.5

Republic of Mauritius République de Maurice  (French) Flag Coat of arms Motto: "Stella Clavisque Maris Indici" (Latin) "Star and Key of the Indian Ocean" Anthem: Motherland Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. Capital and largest city Port Louis 20°10′S 57°31′E / 20.167°S 57.517°E / -20.167; 57.517 Official languages Nonea Vernacular languages Mauritian creole French English Demonym Mauritian Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Kailash Purryag  -  Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam Legislature National Assembly Independence from the United Kingdom  -  Constitution of Mauritius 12 March 1968   -  Republic 12 March 1992  Area  -  Total 2,040 km2 (179th) 787 sq mi   -  Water (%) 0.07 Population  -  2012 estimate 1,291,456 (151st)  -  2011 census 1,233,000  -  Density 630/km2 (19th) 1,636.5/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate  -  Total $20.200 billion  -  Per capita $15,591 GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate  -  Total $11.466 billion  -  Per capita $8,850 HDI (2013)  0.737 high · 80th Currency Mauritian rupee (MUR) Time zone MUT (UTC+4)  -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+4) Date format dd/mm/yyyy (AD) Drives on the left Calling code +230 ISO 3166 code MU Internet TLD .mu a. In parliament English is official and French can be used.

Mauritius i/məˈrɪʃəs/ (French: Maurice), officially the Republic of Mauritius (French: République de Maurice) is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent. The country includes the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, 560 kilometres (350 mi) east of the principal island, the islands of Agaléga and Saint Brandon. The islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues and the French department of Réunion 170 km (110 mi) form part of the Mascarene Islands. The area of the country is 2040 km2, its capital is Port Louis.

The first Portuguese explorers found no indigenous people living on the island in 1507. The Dutch settled on the island in 1598 and abandoned it in 1710, Mauritius became a French colony in 1715 and was renamed Isle de France. The British took control of Mauritius in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. The country became an independent state as a Commonwealth realm on 12 March 1968 and a republic within the Commonwealth on 12 March 1992.

The country's populace is composed of several ethnicities, mostly people of Indian, African, Chinese and European descent. Most Mauritians are multilingual; English, French, Creole and Asian languages are used.

The Mauritian Constitution is based on the Westminster model. The head of state is the President but constitutional power is vested in the Prime Minister who is the head of government. Mauritius is highly ranked for democracy, economic and political freedom.

The island of Mauritius was the only home of the Dodo bird. The bird became extinct fewer than eighty years after its discovery.