Republic of Mauritius

CAPITAL: Port Louis

FLAG: The national flag consists of four horizontal stripes of red, blue, yellow, and green.

ANTHEM: Glory to Thee, Motherland, O Motherland of Mine.

MONETARY UNIT: The Mauritius rupee (R) is a currency of 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents and 1 rupee, and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 rupees. R1 = $0.03787 (or $1 = R26.4) as of May 2003.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is in general use; traditional weights and measures also are employed.

HOLIDAYS: New Year, 1–2 January; National Day, 12 March; Labor Day, 1 May. Christian, Hindu, and Muslim holidays also are observed.

TIME: 4 PM = noon GMT.

Location, Size, and Extent

Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean, about 900 km (559 mi) E of Madagascar and 2,000 km (1,250 mi) off the nearest point of the African coast. The island of Rodrigues, an integral part of Mauritius, is located about 560 km (350 mi) off its northeastern coast. The two islands...