Mauritius with the capital city Port Louis is located in Africa (Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean). It covers some 2,040 square kilometres (almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC) with 1,260,000 citizens.

About the flag and history of Mauritius

Four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island.

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

National administrative regions of Mauritius

• Agalega Islands
• Black River
• Cargados Carajos
• Flacq
• Grand Port
• Mauritius (general)
• Moka
• Pamplemousses
• Plaines Wilhems
• Port Louis
• Riviere du Rempart
• Rodrigues
• Savanne

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