Mauritius

(Republic of Mauritius, République de Maurice)

General Information:

• Location: Indian Ocean (off the Southeast coast of Africa )
• Capital: Port Louis
• Language(s): English, French, Mauritian Creole
• Population: 1,265,475
• Total Area: 2,050 sq km
• Currency: Mauritian Rupee
• Curious Alcohol Fact: An exotic island by all definition, you can always sample the cane rum of Mauritius.
• Annual Average Liquor Consumption Per Capita: 3.69 liters
• Most Popular Drink(s): Cane rum, fresh fruit juice, Phoenix

Travel Video

Video Courtesy: Unravel Travel TV Youtube Channel

The Country

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean and is to the southwest of the island of Madagascar. Mauritius also includes other island groups such as the Agalega Islands and the Cargados Carajos Shoals. The republic is in the same group with the island of Reunion which is under the administration of France. Mauritius was colonized by the United Kingdom and it became independent in 1968 and it became a republic more than two decades later. Interestingly, it was once ruled by the Dutch and French before it fell into British hands during the Napoleonic Wars. The island is volcanic in origin and there are spectacular coral reefs surrounding the island nation. Most of the Mauritians are into agriculture and the most important crop is sugarcane which is produced for both local consumption and as well as for exports.

The People

There are different ethnic groups in the country and the most populous of these are the Indians, Mauritian Creole, French and Chinese. As per the religions, the more than half of the inhabitants of the island are Hindus while other are either Christians or Muslims. Most Mauritians speak Mauritian Creole and other widely-spoken languages are English and French. For such a small island to be populated with millions, it does not come as a surprise that Mauritius is one of the most densely populated nations on the planet. Many administrative officials told me that overpopulation is steadily becoming a major issue.

Eating

Before you go for shopping at one of the exquisite shopping malls in Port Louis, you need to try out some sumptuous meals at any of the eateries and canteens. For each Mauritian delicacy that you sample, there is a different tale that you have to tell. These foods are the ultimate when it comes to stimulating the taste buds. As a result of the diversity in the culture and ethnicity, there are various meals on the island and all you need to do is to select –although I did not find that easy at all. You can go for the Chinese noodles or the Creole rougailles, but you can be sure of getting the finest taste. For those who like seafood, this is the ultimate island. You can order for meals made from fresh lobsters, crabs, prawns, oysters and various fresh fish, some of which you will find quite exotic. If there is anything that truly welcomes you to the Island of Mauritius, then it is the food.

Drinking

After a nice meal on the island, you need to ‘follow’ it up with a drink too, and this is an island that has more than enough for your throat. There is cane rum and this comes in various types and flavors. There is also the Phoenix, the island’s local beer.

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