Mauritius (French: Maurice), officially the Republic of Mauritius (French: Rpublique de Maurice), is an island nation in the Indian Ocean

about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent. he country includes the islands of !auritius, "odri#ues ($%0 kilometres (&$0 mi) east of the 'rinci'al island), the islands of A#ale#a and the archi'ela#o (aint )randon. !auritius claims so*erei#nty o*er the +ha#os Archi'ela#o situated 1,2,- kilometres (,00 mi) to the north east. the /nited 0in#dom e1cised the archi'ela#o from !auritian territory 'rior to !auritius2 inde'endence and #radually de'o'ulated it. he islands of !auritius, "odri#ues and "3union, 1-0 km (110 mi) south 4est, form 'art of the !ascarene Islands. he area of the country is 2050 km2. Its ca'ital is 6ort 7ouis. he first 6ortu#uese e1'lorers found no indi#enous 'eo'le li*in# on the island in 1$0-. he 8utch settled on the island in 1%&, and abandoned it in 1-10. Fi*e years later, the island became a French colony and 4as renamed Isle de France. he )ritish took control of !auritius in 1,10 durin# the 9a'oleonic :ars. he country remained under )ritish rule until it became an inde'endent +ommon4ealth realm on 12 !arch 1;%, and a re'ublic 4ithin the +ommon4ealth on 12 !arch 1;;2. he country is multi<ethnic and multi<cultural. most !auritians are multilin#ual, and =n#lish, French, +reole and Asian lan#ua#es are used.>%? he #o*ernment system is closely modelled on the :estminster 'arliamentary system. !auritius is hi#hly ranked for democracy and for economic and 'olitical freedom. he island of !auritius 4as the only home of the 8odo bird. he bird became e1tinct fe4er than ei#hty years after its disco*ery.

Etymology
he first historical e*idence of the e1istence of an island no4 kno4n as !auritius is on a ma' 'roduced by the Italian carto#ra'her Alberto +antino in 1$02.>,? From this, it a''ears that !auritius 4as first named Dina Arobi durin# the !iddle A#es>when?? by Arab sailors, the first 'eo'le to *isit the island. In 1$0- 6ortu#uese sailors *isited the uninhabited island. he island a''ears 4ith a 6ortu#uese name Cirne on early 6ortu#uese ma's, 'robably from the name of a shi' in the 1$0- e1'edition. Another 6ortu#uese sailor, 8om 6edro !ascarenhas, #a*e the name Mascarenes to the Archi'ela#o. In 1$;, a 8utch s@uadron under Admiral :ybrand Aan :ar4yck landed at Brand 6ort and named the island Mauritius, in honour of 6rince !aurice *an 9assau, stadhouder of the 8utch "e'ublic. 7ater the island became a French colony and 4as renamed Isle de France. On & 8ecember 1,10 the French formally surrendered after the 9a'oleonic 4ars. /nder )ritish rule, the island2s name re*erted to Mauritius. !auritius is also commonly kno4n as Maurice and le Maurice in French, Moris in creole and in Cindi.