Mauritius

American  

[maw-rish-uhs, -rish-ee-uhs] / mɔˈrɪʃ əs, -ˈrɪʃ i əs /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, E of Madagascar. 720 sq. mi. (1,865 sq. km).

2. a republic consisting of this island and dependencies: formerly a British colony. 809 sq. mi. (2,095 sq. km). Port Louis.

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Mauritius British  

/ məˈrɪʃəs /

noun

1. Former name (1715–1810): Île-de-France.  an island and state in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar: originally uninhabited, it was settled by the Dutch (1638–1710) then abandoned; taken by the French in 1715 and the British in 1810; became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1968. It is economically dependent on sugar. Official language: English; a French creole is widely spoken. Religion: Hindu majority, large Christian minority. Currency: rupee. Capital: Port Louis. Pop: 1 322 238 (2013 est). Area: 1865 sq km (720 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Mauritian adjective

Example Sentences

He also linked the U.S. president’s desire for Greenland with the U.K.’s deal in May 2025 to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

From The Wall Street Journal

The islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony.

From BBC

Britain purchased the islands for £3m, but Mauritius has argued that it was illegally forced to give them away as part of a deal to gain independence.

From BBC

There will be no change in policy over the UK's decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a government minister has said.

From BBC

The study included territories in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Panama, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Oman, Jamaica, Madagascar, the Philippines, and Indonesia, among others.

From Science Daily