Curiosities about Mauritius
In this blog post, we will bring some interesting facts about Mauritius. Ranging from its landscape to cultural. Some of them are very important for whoever wants to travel there, as it brings insight of great value. Did you know that Mauritius has 3 common language spoken? Have you ever heard about the Dodos? Underwater Waterfall? In this blog post, we will dive a bit on some really interesting facts of this beautiful island!
​Mauritius is considered the safest country in Africa to visit.
​According to Expatriate Group (expatriatehealthcare.com), Mauritius is the safest country in Africa and ranked 28th safest place in the world. Also being one of the wealthiest countries in the continent, having the best GPI (Genuine Progress Indicator - Metric used to measure the economic growth) 1,570. Additionally, the country is politically stable with a low crime rate and violent crime. However, as other countries with many tourists, crimes such as pickpocketing and scams can happen, especially in tourist hotspots. It should be of concern that the island has a cyclone season, which is from November to May. The cyclones can cause great damage and tourists should always be aware of warnings and local advice.
Languages
spoken in Mauritius.
Even though the Constitution of Mauritius specifies that there are no official languages, these three languages are often teased and spoken around the island. English and French are accepted as the official languages, as they are constantly used by government administration and business. They are also present in signage around the city and even used by the media (both also in creole). A great deal for any English speakers who want to travel there!! Now, Mauritian Creole is the common language around Mauritius and is the most spoken language on the island with above 90% of its population speaking the language, being considered the native language there. This mix of languages makes most Mauritians being Bilingual, and a great part being trilingual. The good part is that you’ll never feel lost in the country!
Mauritius has a great diversity in its population
Mauritius history is remarked by many different colonizers and explorers that passed by or stayed in the country. The country was formed by Arabs and Malays. Then followed by Europeans, which includes the island on their world’s map. And finally, was successively colonized by the Netherlands, France and Great Britain. Independence came on 12 March 1968. Since then, Mauritius has been a home to many different people around the world, bringing a great idea of diversity from historical and current events. The current population accounts for 1,277,596 people. Having several different ethnic groups, the main ones being Indian/South Asian that equals 68%, Creole 27%, Chinese 3% and French 2%.
Is there really Underwater Waterfall in Mauritius?
The photo (below, above) shows what many people thought was an underwater waterfall. Many people around the internet believed in this fact and some even photo shopped this photo several times into an even more unbelievable photo. However, this occurrence is nothing more than an illusion. It is not the water that is falling on the darkness, but rather the sand and slits sediments are in constant movement and falling into the abyss of 4000 meters. As the water is close to crystal clear, it is believed that what makes the illusion possible is the various shades of blue that creates a unique harmony resulting in the optical illusion.
Dodos
The photo shown is a representation of a dodo. A flightless bird that could only be seen in Mauritius, where they were considered endemic. You’re probably wondering: how does a bird that can’t fly arrived in Mauritius? 26 million years ago dodos were birds that could fly, resembling pigeons and doves (which are considered close relatives). On their exploration, they found this remote island that had no predators and abundant food. Over the years they grew bigger, heavier in body type, and the wings got smaller. Resulting in the evolution of these birds. Dodos were approximately three-feet tall and weighed about 50 pounds (23 kgs), with blue-grey plumage and a white plume tail. It had tiny wings, but was unable to fly. Unfortunately, this peculiar bird was proclaimed extinct in the 19th century. However, its extinction happened in the 17th century, when Europeans (such as Portuguese and Dutches) approached the island. The Europeans, together with their introduced animals brought in their ships (as dogs, cats, and even rats) started to exterminate the species. Finishing with only a few remains that helped to recreate its form and show us how they looked. Dodo is considered one of Mauritius’ national symbols, and is constantly mentioned as an example of human-induced extinction. Bring considerable concern about the matter.