 History |
| The first Europeans to have visited Mauritius were the Portuguese at the beginning of the sixteenth century. The Dutch who settled in the island in 1638 named it after their ruler, Prince Maurice of Nassau. It was under the French Governor, Mahé de Labourdonnais, that Mauritius knew its first development: a harbour was built at Port-Louis, which became the capital of Mauritius. Port-louis being the safest harbour for vessels on their way to India, prompted the British to occupy the island in 1810.Indentured labourers were brought in, mainly from India to work in sugar cane fields. Mauritius achieved independence on 12 March 1968 and adopted a constitution based on the British parliamentary system. It was on 12 March 1992 that Mauritius became a Republic but it continues to form part of the British commonwealth. |
