Mauritius from A to Z: Everything you need to know about the island!
Written on : 07 April 2025 By : Emma Di Gesaro
Mauritius is the land of diversity and its heavenly beaches and landscapes are known to everyone and make travellers from all over the world dream of it. Its exceptional cultural heritage such as Cap de Bonne-Espérance or the sacred lake of Grand-Bassin will amaze you and make you want to discover each gem of the island to learn even more about it. If you do not yet have all the information you need to know about the island, Villanovo will enlighten you with this guide that will give you details about the island that makes you dream so much.
1 . The island has seen 3 colonizing countries march past: The region is known for the diversity of its population, which is reflected in the gastronomy, places of worship and languages spoken on the island. This is because the island has been colonized by 3 different countries. The Dutch were the first Europeans to take control of the island but failed to exploit its potential and abandoned it, then came the passage of France and finally Great Britain.
2 . The largest sugar producer in the British Empire: It is now well known that Mauritius' land is mainly used for the production of sugar cane, which today is powerful enough and developed to create electricity! Under the French presence, sugar cane cultivation developed and led to significant economic growth.
3 . Mauritius had a dark period of slavery: It was from Madagascar and Van Der Stel that the first slaves came to Mauritius. The period of sugar cane development was actually a dark period when slaves worked in the fields. Slavery was declared illegal in 1835 by the British.
4 . The old Dodo house: The Dodo is a bird of its full name, the Dodo of Mauritius, which was discovered at the end of the 15th century and which lived in the plains and forests of Mauritius. This bird, about 1 metre high and weighing 10 kilos, is now the emblem of Mauritius, as the rooster is French, the difference is that there is no longer a Dodo on earth. The Dodo disappeared because of the presence of the man who was his only predator.
5 . The island played an important role in the Second World War: Due to its strategic position, the British built a naval base on the island and were able to expand their military presence and add an air station. However, Mauritius' most important role was not only its strategic position but the island held a lot of data on the enemy. The island has also been the scene of many naval battles.
Mauritius in 10 figures
The island is 65 km long and 45 km wide
828 meters is the height of the highest point on the island: Le python de la rivière noire
20 and 35 degrees are the average temperatures on the island
The flight time between London and Mauritius is 12 hours, prepare your trip!
More than 68% of the population are Indo-Mauritians, 52% are Hindus and 16% are Muslims
1. 200,000 is the number of inhabitants of the island
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