The Most Interesting Things about Mauritius

Mauritius is an island created by underwater volcanic explosions. The first people to walk on it were the Portuguese.
The American writer and journalist Mark Twain wrote: First, God created Mauritius, and only then proceeded to create Paradise in its image.
The Mauritian flag consists of four horizontal stripes.
The red colour represents the fight for independence, while the blue symbolizes the Indian Ocean that surrounds the island. The yellow stripe represents the sun and the green one hints at the lush Mauritian vegetation.
The Seven Coloured Earths is one of the most famous sights on Mauritius. It consists of sand of seven distinct colours – red, brown, violet, green, purple, blue, and yellow.
The coral reef that surrounds the island protects tourists from sharks, jellyfish, and other unfriendly sea creatures.
Dodo, which even became the official emblem and mascot of Mauritius, was a flightless bird. As it was not found anywhere else, it was probably endemic to the island.
None of the wild animals that live on the island are dangerous – even the handful of snakes that you can found is not poisonous.
In 1865, Lewis Carroll used the dodo bird as an inspiration for his famous book Alice in Wonderland.
The famous peak Le Morne Brabant stands just off the most beautiful Mauritian beach. Since escaped slaves often hid here in the past, it is counted amongst the UNESCO cultural heritage sites.
Even though Mauritius is an independent democratic state, it remains in the Commonwealth.
Mauritius is the most populous and wealthiest country in Africa. It does not have a standing army.
You may know that there are many sugarcane plantations – sugar cane is used to produce excellent rum. However, there are also many kinds of fruit plants and fruit trees on Mauritius. For instance, you can find around 15 different types of mango here. They come in all kinds and shapes – small, big, green, red, sweet, and sour.
The locals follow many religions. There are Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, and even Buddhists. They all live in harmony and respect one another. Furthermore, they are glad that they can celebrate all the important days of all the religions present on the island.
Even though Mauritius is a small island, you can see huge differences here. The North is more populous and has many villages, while the South consists mainly of beautiful nature untouched by civilisation.
One of the most revered people of Mauritius is Sir Seeweoosagur Ramgoolam who fought for its independence. A local botanical garden and an international airport both carry his name.