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Mauritius is situated at approximately 2000kilometers to the south-eastern coast of Africa and lies east of Madagascar. The land has an area of 1865 square kilometers with 330 kilometers of coastline. Inland features include a vast central plateau, subtropical forests, rivers, steams and waterfalls. Bordering this tableland are several mountain ranges consisting of diverse shaped masses of basalt testifying the volcanic origins of the island.
Mauritius was discovered in 1505 by the Portugese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas. The island was occupied successively by the Dutch (1598-1712), the French (1715-1810), and was ceded to Great Britain in 1814 through the Treaty of Paris. 1968 Mauritius acceded to Independence. |
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