Mauritius

Two very valuable stamps made this insular state known far beyond its borders: the Red and Blue Mauritius. The insular paradise is located in the South West of the Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar and 1,800 kilometres from the African coast. It consists of two major and several minor islands. Most of the approx. 1.25 million residents live on Mauritius, the biggest of the islands. Almost 40,000 people are living on Rodriguez, the second biggest island. Although it was a Portuguese who discovered the island in the Middle Ages, most of the present residents have Indian roots. French and English are widely spread, a remnant from the days as a colony of the crown. The Colonial past is reflected in the variety of cooking, with Dutch, French, Creole and Indian influence. Giant sugar cane fields are an important business sector. The capital Port Louis is characterized by its colourful life. The coast with the long, fine sand beaches is perfect for water sports. Several mountains can be found on the island. The climate is tropically warm all year round. The winter season between May and November has somewhat dryer weather, air humidity will be much higher in summer.