“You may gather the idea that God created Mauritius first

And then heaven was copied after...”

....Mark Twain, following the equator, 1897

I. Cultural Analysis:
COUNTRY PROFILE
• Full name: The Republic of Mauritius
• Population: 1.3 million (UN, 2009)
• Capital and largest city: Port Louis
• Area: 2,040 sq km (788 sq miles)
• Major languages: English (official), Creole, French, Indian languages
• Major religions: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
• Life expectancy: 69 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Mauritian rupee=100 cents
• Anthem - Motherland

II. Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history

Mauritius Island was found by Portuguese voyages around 1510. The first permanent settlers
were Dutch, in 1598. They established first sugar cane plantations with slave labour from
Africa, and they called the island Mauritius after the stadhouder (governor) Maurice of
Nassau. Two waves of colonization were attempted -- 1638 to 1657 and 16664 to 1710.
When the island was finally abandoned to pirates, it was claimed by the French East India
Company. In 1715 the French renamed it Île de France and set about expanding the sugar
industry.
The first settlement, Port Louis, was created by colonists from Réunion in 1722.
Slaves were brought over from East African and Madagascar to work on the sugar
plantations. In 1767 the French crown took possession of the island. The island was used as a
staging post for privateers during the Napoleonic war -- the British responded by seizing the
island in 1810. Under the Abolition of Slavery Act of 1822 African slaves were freed, and
indentured Indians (and Chinese) were brought over to work the plantations -- roughly half-a-
million such indented labourers were imported between 1835 and the First World War.
Britain renamed the island Mauritius but retained French customs, language and laws.
Mauritius was granted independence on 12 March 1968 (within the commonwealth), with
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam as prime minister. With the downturn in sugar prices, social unrest
in the late 70s and early 80s led to a change of government, Anerood Jugnauth of the
Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien (MSM, Militant Socialist Movement) took power.
On 12 March 1992 Mauritius became a republic with Cassam Uteem as non-executive
president, Jugnauth remained head of government as prime minister.

III. Geographical setting

A. Location
The Island of Mauritius is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean some 2,000 kilometres
off the South East coast of Africa and some 11,000 kilometres off the West coast of
Australia. The island covers an area of 1,865 square kilometres and is surrounded by more
than 150 kilometres of white sandy beaches and protected transparent lagoon.
B. Climate
Mauritius enjoys a maritime sub-tropical climate. The summer season lasts from October to
May with temperature averaging 27°C, while in the winter season, temperature averages
22°C.
C. Topography
Mauritius is mostly of volcanic formation and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. A
coastal plain rises sharply to a plateau 275 to 580 m (900–1,900 ft) high. Piton de la Rivière
Noire, the highest peak, reaches 828 m (2,717 ft). The longest river is the Grand River South
East.

IV. Social institutions

A. Family
1. The nuclear family

The nuclear family is the norm among Franco-Mauritians, Creoles, and Mulattoes and is an
increasingly common form among all urbanites. The average couple countrywide has two
children; the number is slightly higher in rural areas and among Muslims. The largest
extended families are rural Hindu and Creole families, where the nuclear family forms the
core. The former may include the head of household's mother, unmarried siblings, and
cousins. The latter may include relatives on both the husband's and the wife's side. Joint
families are rarer but they do occur, particularly among Hindus. Nearly all heads of
households are men.
2. Dynamics of the family

Most marriages in Mauritius occur within the same ethnic group; only about 8 percent of
marriages are interethnic. Those couples who do intermarry usually take on a single ethnic
identity for their children. Those children in turn usually associate with that ethnic group and
marry within it.
Ethnic identification is considered to be more important than class and is the
single most examined factor in selecting a mate; group and parental influences also are
factors. Marriage outside ethnic lines risks the family's disapproval and sometimes can lead
to punishment. This carries additional weight in Mauritius, where families typically live with
each other because of high land costs.
B. Education
1. The role of education in society
The education system in Mauritius can mainly be divided into pre primary, primary,
secondary and tertiary education. The pre-primary education in Mauritius that starts at the age
of 3 is provided by both govt. run schools and private aided schools. However, more than
75% of the playschools in Mauritius are privately run. Primary education in Mauritius starts
at the age of six. In order to successfully complete the primary education one needs to pass a
national examination, Certificate of Primary Education (CPE). One can start secondary and
prevocational education in Mauritius after passing the CPE examination.
a. Primary education (quality, levels of development, etc.):

Education is free up to college level and is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 12. The
educational system is based largely in the British school system. The primary education in
Mauritius is free as well as compulsory for children belonging to the age group of 5 to 12. It
is considered as the beginning of the formal education for the students. Mauritius has always
given priority to education and has a very high literacy rate. Educations at the primary
schools course successfully are provided with a certificate known as the Certificate of
Primary Education Examination (start at the age of 5 and continues for 6 consecutive years)
The students who complete the CPE, This certificate is given on the basis of the marks
obtained by the students at the examinations held at the end of the 6th year education.
b. Secondary education (quality, levels of development, etc.)
Secondary Education in Mauritius has become free since the year 1976. The education
system in Mauritius is based upon the structure of the British education system. Mauritius
secondary education has a very significant role in Mauritius education as it is considered to
be the final stage of leaving school and entering the world of higher education.
At the secondary schools, students are taught different kinds of subject matters including
computer education. There have been several measures taken to develop the secondary
education system further. Secondary education in Mauritius has been extended through the
formation of several State Secondary Schools as well as colleges.
c. Higher education (quality, levels of development, etc.)

The standard of higher education in Mauritius is maintained by the Tertiary Education

Commission of Mauritius. It is also responsible for allocating funds to the public institutes.
Apart from the public higher education institutes, there are also private, regional and overseas
educational institutes that provide wide ranges of courses and programmes.
There are at present 9 public, 35 private and 50 tertiary educational institutes in Mauritius. As
information technology, management, commerce, engineering, medicine, education and
commerce are the most popular courses in the country, most of the private tertiary
educational institutes in Mauritius compete to attract students in these areas. However, the
overall enrolment rate is higher in the public tertiary education institutes in Mauritius.
2. Literacy rates
The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has a population of just 1.2m. But it boasts a high
literacy rate and a country that is technically bilingual - or trilingual, combining English,
French and Creole. Since 1970, primary schooling has been compulsory for all Mauritian
children, who are supposed to spend an average of nine years in the classroom. The
authorities are hoping to make full secondary education obligatory too. All Africa’s Ofeibea
Quist-Arcton is in Mauritius for the 6th biennial conference of the Association for the
Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), It is generally acknowledged that the literacy
rate exceeds 80 percent.

Literacy Rate in total population: 84.4%

Male: 88.4%
Female: 80.5% (2000 census)
C. Political system
1. Political structure
The 1968 constitution proclaims that Mauritius is a "democratic state" and that the
constitution is the supreme law of the land. It guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms
of the people, including the right to hold private property and to be free from racial or other
discrimination. Fundamental rights can only be suspended during wars or states of
emergency, which must be duly declared by the parliament and reviewed every six months.
The political structure is patterned to a large extent on the British system. As in Britain, the
political party that can gain support from a majority in parliament chooses the prime minister,
who, along with the cabinet, wields political power.
2. Political parties
• Independent Forward Bloc (IFB)
• Mauritian Labour Party (Parti Travailliste)
• Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien)
• Mauritian Social Democrat Party (Parti Mauricien Social-Démocrate)
• Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien)
• Mauritian Solidarity Front
• Republican Movement (Mouvement Républicain)
• Rodrigues Movement (Mouvement Rodriguais)
• Rodrigues People's Organisation (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais)
• Mauritian Party of Xavier-Luc Duval (Parti Mauricien Xavier-Luc Duval)
• The Greens (Les Verts)
• Mauritian Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Militant Socialiste Mauricien)

3. Special taxes
The main taxation system in the island is the "PAYE" (Pay As You Earn) system.
Income tax is indeed collected at source on salaries at an average rate of 15%. The
highest taxation rate is of 30%; tax exemptions apply to people earning less than 18,500
rupees per month. In practice, your employer has to provide you with an employee
declaration form (EDF) so that you can calculate your tax rate. Once completed, send
your form to the Income Tax Department.
Taxation for self-employed workers:
The taxation system for self-employed workers is the CPS system. The CPS applies to
self-employed workers earning incomes from trade, business, rents etc. CPS taxpayers
must file a tax return every 6 months.
Employers and employees make pension contributions in Mauritius; there are no social
security taxes as such. The employee pays 3% of earnings up to a ceiling of MR 7,990
(currently), and the employer pays 6% of earnings. The employer deducts the social
security (sorry, pension) contribution along with income tax. The self-employed also
make contributions. Capital Gains Tax applies to gains realised by the owner of
immovable property who divides it into five or more lots for sale, and is charged at
between 20% and 30% depending on the dates of purchase and sale. This 'parcelling out'
of land is also subject to Land Development Tax at MR 2.50 per square metre of land
parcelled out, except when it takes place between co-heirs. VAT replaced sales taxes in
1998 and is charged on most goods and services at 15%. Exports and supplies to non-
residents are zero-rated.
4. Role of local government
There are nine administrative districts and three dependencies, of which the Island of
Rodrigues is one. The other dependencies are Agalega Islands and Carajos Shoals. The
lowest level of local government is the village council, composed of elected as well as
nominated members; above the village councils are three district councils. Commissions
govern the major towns. There are also three dependencies.

D. Legal system
1. Organization of the judiciary system

The statutes are based mainly on old French codes and on more recent laws with English
precedents. The Supreme Court has a chief justice and six other judges who also serve on the
Court of Criminal Appeal, the Court of Civil Appeal, the Intermediate Court, the Industrial
Court, and 10 district courts. Final appeal can be made to the UK Privy Council. The
president, in consultation with the prime minister, nominates the chief justice, and then with
the advice of the chief justice also appoints the associate judges. The president nominates
other judges on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commissions. The legal system
provides fair public trials for criminal defendants. Defendants have the right to counsel,
including court-appointed counsel in case of indigency.
2. Participation in patents, trademarks, and other conventions
INFORMATION ABOUT PATENTS IN MAURITIUS
Mauritius is a member of the International Convention but is not a member of the PCT.
The requirements for filing an application in Mauritius are as follows:
(a) Power of attorney (legalized with an Apostille in accordance with the provisions of the
Hague Convention);
(b) Assignment of invention (legalized with an Apostille in accordance with the provisions of
the Hague Convention);
(c) Specification, claims, abstract and drawings in the English language; and
(d) Certified copy of the priority application (no legalization required) together with a
verified English translation thereof (if applicable).
Whereas item (c) is required upon filing, items (a), (b) and (d) can be filed up to 2 months
after the filing date.
INFORMATION ABOUT TRADEMARKS IN MAURITIUS
Filing requirements
1. Full name, street address and description of the applicant (including trading style, if any,
and state/country of incorporation, if incorporated).
2. List of goods and/or services.
3. A notarized power of attorney, attested by an Apostille of the Hague Convention.
Classification
1 The 42 classes of the International Classification of goods and services are followed.
General
1. Duration: 10 years from filing date and renewal for further periods of 10 years.
2. Use: Non-use by owner or licensee for a continuous period of 2 years may render mark
vulnerable to expungement upon request by a third party.
3. Marking: Not compulsory, but advisable.
4. Licenses: Must be registered to be effective against third parties.
5. Assignments of applications are permitted
E. Social organizations
1. Social classes

The people in Mauritius today is comprised of

(a) Franco-Mauritians have vast amounts of wealth and effectively control the Mauritian
economy;
(b) A handful of Indo-Mauritians who are landowners, industrialists, and traderss; and
(c) A handful of Sino-Mauritians who are traders and industrialists. A conservative estimate
based on ownership of land and business concerns would be that 5% of the Mauritian
population own over 60% of the total wealth of the country.

2. Clubs, other organizations

• Les Enfants Terribles

• Patch and Parrot
• Banana Beach Club
• Godfather Club
• Executive Club, Royal Road
• Illusion disco Ltd
• Paradox Club
3. Race, ethnicity, and subcultures

• Indo-Mauritian 68%,
• Creole 27%,
• Sino-Mauritian 3%,
• Franco-Mauritian 2%

F. Business customs and practices

Suits are usually worn in business circles. As a multicultural island, business etiquette varies
between communities. But in all business transactions, hospitality and personal relationships
are central here.
Office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat 0900-1200 (some offices only).
With its fabulous hotels and great beaches, sunshine and high quality food, ecotourism
offerings and more, Mauritius is courting the conference and incentive market. A new
International Conference and Exhibition Centre opened in 2004, which with a capacity of
2,500 is the largest in the Indian Ocean.

V. Religion and aesthetics

A. Religion and other belief systems
The religions of Mauritius are Hinduism (52 percent), Roman Catholicism (31 percent), Islam
(16 percent) and Buddhism (1 percent). Within Hinduism there are many variants, which
correspond to variants found in India itself. Low-caste practices of animal sacrifice are
common in rural areas. Maratha and Tamil variants of Hinduism are also distinctive in
relation to the dominant Bihari variety. Every year, the Maha Shivaratri is celebrated by
Hindus, who march to a lake in southern Mauritius (since the Ganges is too distant). Most
Muslims are Sunnis; a few are Shias and Ahmadis. A local Catholic custom is an annual
pilgrimage to the tomb of Jacques-Désiré Laval, a now-beatified nineteenth-century priest.
Syncretist beliefs are common, and traces of heterodox European and Indian beliefs and
traditional African beliefs can be identified among Hindus and Creoles alike, particularly in
rural areas. Belief in witchcraft is common, but it is rarely important socially.
The Catholic Church is led by the Archbishop of the Mascareignes and the Seychelles, the
most powerful religious person in Mauritius. Catholic priests are highly respected and
powerful in their local communities. Many are involved in social work. Hindu pundits and
Muslim imams are also powerful, although their religions do not require formal leadership.
Pundits and imams wield power in ritual and in the context of Hindu and Muslim youth clubs
(baitkas and madrassahs, respectively). Buddhism is of negligible importance in Mauritius;
most of the Buddhists are also Catholics. The longanis (French longaniste) is a sorcerer with
considerable power in many locations. His or her magical power consists of the ability to heal
the sick, divine the future, and influence people's character. The longanis is used by people of
all ethnic groups; most longanis are Creoles or Hindus.
Ceremonies. There are three spectacular annual religious ceremonies. The Tamil festival
Cavadi is a rite of passage involving fire walking; it is participated in by many non-Tamils.
The Catholic Père Laval pilgrimage is exclusively Christian, and the Maha Shivaratri is
exclusively Hindu. All major rituals and festivals of the largest religious traditions, including
the Chinese New Year, are celebrated by their followers.
The Franco-Mauritians have had land and ownership privileges that the other ethnic groups
have not, and they form a small, privileged high class. The Indians and Chinese form
subgroups in relation to language, religious branches, and regional origins. Hindi is
considered more prestigious among the Indian population, but northern Indian dialects are
more commonly used in the countryside. The creoles have had the poorest economic
conditions of any group.

B. Aesthetics
The only indigenous art form of Mauritius is the séga, a form of music similar to the Trinidad
calypso, having been shaped in the encounter between French planters and African slaves.
Now evolved into pop and dance music, the séga is very popular. Indian traditional and
popular music are also widespread and are performed locally, but European classical music
has only a limited appeal. The literature of Mauritius is comparatively rich; authors write
mostly in French and Hindi, although radical nationalists have in recent years taken to writing
in Kreol. Whereas Mauritian literature tends to deal with ethnicity and the search for cultural
identity, the visual arts tend to be romantic and nature-worshiping in character.

VI. Living conditions

A. Diet and nutrition
The foods in Mauritius are as varied as the cultures. Chinese mostly own the restaurants in
the cities, and they combine different ethnic foods on the same menu. Street food also is quite
common for snacks and includes samosas, roti, curried rolls, soups, and noodles.
At home, rice is the most common staple. This is usually combined with fish, fowl, or red
meat and copious spices to form a type of stew. Local vegetables are eaten readily and
include chokos, red pumpkins, squash, and greens.
B. Housing
There are three basic types of houses: wattle and daub construction with thatched roofs;
galvanized sheet-iron structures; and houses constructed of wood. In 2000, There were
297,671 housing units nationwide. Of theses, about 65% were detached houses, 24.5% were
semi-detached homes or blocks of flats. About 99% of all dwellings were privately owned.
Most households have three to five people. About 83.7% of all dwellings have indoor piped
water, 99% have electricity, 87.8% have an indoor kithcen, and 74.8% have an indoor
bathroom.
C. Clothing
Mauritius fashion features a multi-ethnic character. Fashion in Mauritius is influenced by
Indian, African, European and Chinese dresses and dressing patterns. Mauritius clothing is
usually of the cotton variety because of its tropical climate. The dresses of Mauritius exhibit a
dominance of colour.
The dressers of Sega dancers are typically Mauritian. The Sega dress has two parts: the upper
part and the lower part. Majority of the Mauritians consists of Hindus of Indo-Mauritian
ethnicity. Their wedding dress is similar to that of their Indian counterparts.
The Christian community wear traditional dresses on their weddings. The brides are adorned
in white lacy flowing gowns and the grooms are dressed in their best suits.
The informal clothing of Mauritius is very vibrant and comfortable. A warm and humid
climate prompts the local people to put on cotton clothes. Leather dresses are also worn as a
fashion item. Both men and women wear leather jackets or tops during informal gatherings.
Mauritius fashion also features wearing of ethnic jewellery. The handcrafted jewellery
influenced by African arts is very popular among women in Mauritius. The blue Ocean and
white sand beaches complement the trendy clothing of the Mauritians.

D. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities

Mauritius being a key destination for tourists, hotels and other tourism related organizations
provide a multitude of possible recreational activities to explore the natural beauty of the
island. Eco-activities, sports and nautical activities are out there for all. Activities such as zip-
lines, mountain climbing and abseiling are set up with care for your own safety and for you to
make the most of what our landscape has to offer. The assets of Mauritius in terms of sports
activities remain by far the nautical activities, all beach hotels have at your disposal -
windsurfs, dinghies, pedal-boats and speed boats for water-skiing. Day-cruising in yachts is
also very common with a number of operators providing this service. Typically, the East,
West and North coasts are suitable for nautical excursions restricted to the lagoons while the
North and West coasts are better for water activities in the open sea. In recent years, there has
been a rise in more innovative excursions such as dives in submarines or on “Sub scooters,”
and a proliferation of other activities such as kite surfing, quad biking and mountain biking.
Few leisure activities are:
• Water Sports
• Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
 • Fishing
• Sailing
• Surfing
• Wind surfing
• Beaching
E. Social security
Mauritius maintains an extensive set of social policies and programmes consisting of free
education, free health care, a basic retirement pension, assistance to families with special
needs, low cost housing, subsidies for rice and flour, social aid transfers, and several micro-
credit schemes.
Social Security benefits can be classified as non-contributory benefits or contributory
benefits. Non-contributory benefits are entirely financed by Government and are payable to
Mauritian citizens under certain conditions. These benefits include:
(a) Basic pensions, which cover the elderly, invalids, widows and orphans;
(b) allowances such as Social Aid, Food Aid, Unemployment Hardship Relief, Cyclone
Refugee Allowance and Funeral Grant, which are payable to the low-income segment of the
population; and
(c) Inmate’s allowance and indoor relief payable to, or on behalf of, those Mauritians residing
in government-subsidised institutions (such as old people homes, infirmaries and orphanages)
provided they would have otherwise benefited from a basic pension or from Social Aid.
Contributory benefits, on the other hand, are payable only to, or on behalf of, those persons
(mainly employees of the private sector) who have paid contributions to the National
Pensions Fund (NPF). The contributory pensions include old age, invalidity, widows and
orphans pensions in addition to industrial injury allowances. In the case of contributory
benefits, the allowances payable vary according to the amount contributed to the NPF in
respect of the insured worker. For those persons whose contributions are marginal,
Government guarantees a minimum contributory pension.

F. Health care
The average life expectancy in Mauritius in 2000 was 72 years and the infant mortality rate
was 16 per 1,000 live births. As of 2002, the crude birth rate and overall mortality rate were
estimated at 16.34 and 6.8 per 1,000 people respectively. The maternal mortality rate was 50
per 100,000 live births in 1998. As of 2000, 75% of married women (ages 15 to 49) were
using contraception. According to World Health Organization reports, 5.3% of children 3–6
years of age were anemic in 1995. Immunization rates for 1997 for children up to one year
old were: diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, 89%, and measles, 85%.
Government spends a larger fraction of the national budget, providing free public health
services through a network of 8 public hospitals, community and health centres
The island of Mauritius has a high prevalence of non-insulin dependent diabetes. Physical
inactivity and glucose intolerance through obesity are suggested culprits. The high rates of
coronary heart disease seen in Asian Indians, African-origin Creoles, and Chinese in this
rapidly developing country may point to future problems in this region. Most deaths are
cardiovascular-disease related. In the mid-1990s, almost half (47.2%) of Mauritius's male
population smoked. At the end of 2001 the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was
estimated at 700 (including 0.1% of the adult population). HIV prevalence in 1999 was 0.08
per 100 adults.

VII. Language
English and French are the official languages; however, Creole, derived from French, is most
widely spoken. On Rodrigues, virtually the entire population speaks Creole. Bojpoori, Hindi,
Urdu, and Hakka are also widely spoken. Only a small minority speak English as a first
language.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Mauritius has a stability and racial harmony among its mixed population of Asians,
Europeans and Africans.
• The government of Mauritius regards education as a sphere of utmost importance.
• The Mauritians are very committed to hard work and to the task of educating their
children
• A committed jurisdiction cooperating with such organisations as OECD, FATF and
the UN and its agencies.
• The overall literacy rate for Mauritius is the highest in Africa. The literacy rate
exceeds 80 percent.
 • Despite many differences, the major political parties have worked successfully
towards the country's economic welfare.
• With a population of 1.2 million inhabitants, Mauritius benefits from a large pool of
readily available graduates, qualified lawyers and accountants. Most Mauritian
barristers have been called to the Bar both in the UK and Mauritius. Accountants are
members of UK professional bodies such as the Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants.
• Strategic time zone (GMT+4). Business can be conducted with the Far East in the
morning, Europe around mid-day and USA in late afternoon.
• The island has maintained one of the developing world's most successful democracies
and has enjoyed years of constitutional order.

• The only indigenous art form of Mauritius is the séga, a form of music similar to the
Trinidad calypso.

• Mauritians tend to believe in, and use the services of traditional medical systems.

• Mauritius with its wonderful climate promises unlimited entertainment. From water-
sporting to mountaineering, and from beach volley ball to nightclubs, the small island
offers everything to the visitor s.

• Mauritius is a sophisticated country, with high public health standards. It has been
malaria-free for over 30 years and has no major infectious communicable disease

REFERENCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mauritius,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Mauritius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Mauritius

http://www.elandnews.com/mauritius/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Mauritius
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Mauritius

http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mauritius.html

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Mauritius.html

http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/mlge