Mauritius

History

Main article: History of Mauritius

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The island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, and was uninhabited until colonisation by the Dutch in 1638, who named the island in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau. The French controlled the island during the 18th century and renamed it Ile de France. The island was taken over by the British in 1810 and reverted to its former name.

Related Topics:
Portuguese - 1505 - Dutch - 1638 - Maurice of Nassau - French - 18th century - British - 1810

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Independence was attained in 1968, with the country becoming a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992. Mauritius has been a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, and has attracted considerable foreign investment earning one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Related Topics:
1968 - Republic - Commonwealth - 1992 - Democracy - Africa

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