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

UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has said the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius, not the Maldives.

From BBC

South Sudan has begun rationing electricity in the capital, Juba, while Mauritius has imposed restrictions to reduce wastage especially in high-power consumption areas.

From BBC

But Mauritius has long argued that it was illegally forced to give the islands away to gain independence.

From BBC

Meanwhile, bookings are up in Portugal, Italy and Spain as well as the Caribbean, Mauritius and the US as some airports report flights filling up faster than last year.

From BBC

Chagos Islanders have recently raised their objections to becoming part of Mauritius.

From The Wall Street Journal