Mauritius

Overview:

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715 developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base and later an air station playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.