Mauritius at 50
Key Moments in the History of the Island's Independence
1968 - Mauritius gains its independence
On March 12 Mauritius declares its independence from Britain but Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state.
Newly independent Mauritius adopts a new flag:
- The red band represents the bloodshed at the time of slavery and colonization, and the self-determination and struggle for independence.
- The blue band represents the surrounding Indian Ocean
- The yellow band represents the new light of independence shining, golden sunshine and a bright future
- The green band represents the lush vegetation of the island.
1970s - The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation saves endangered bird species
The newly-founded Mauritian Wildlife Foundation succeeds in rescuing the Mauritius Kestrel, Echo Parakeet and Pink Pigeon from the brink of extinction.
With just four Mauritius Kestrels in the wild it was feared the species would go the way of the Dodo.
But thanks to the MWF’s work with renowned biologist Dr Carl Jones, there were over 300 by the end of the decade.
These rare birds are now a tourist attraction for the island.
1990's - Mauritius enjoys its First Economic Miracle
By the 1990s Mauritius' post-colonial success has been dubbed an 'economic miracle'. The garment manufacturing sector has grown enormously, luxury tourism is booming and the sugar industry regeneration all help contribute to impressive growth rates.
1992 - Mauritius becomes an official republic
After 24 years of independence, on 12th March Mauritius was proclaimed a republic, which it remains to this day.
1994 - Island pulls together after Cyclone Hollanda
In February 1994 Mauritius was hit by a powerful cyclone. Cyclone Hollanda raged through the island leaving 1,400 people homeless and causing $81m in damage.
The government opened shelters and gave money to those left homeless, and handed out free seeds to farmers whose crops had been destroyed.
2001 - Blue Penny Museum opens
The state-of-the-art new Blue Penny Museum opens on the waterfront in Port Louis.
Though named after its most important artefacts, the 1847 Blue Penny and Red Penny stamps, the museum is far more wide-ranging and covers the island’s history of exploration and settlement and its experience during the colonial period.
2001 - Mauritius' first Cyber City created
Mauritius builds its first Cyber city, Ebène, on sugarcane fields just outside Port Louis, creating a modern, hi-tech working environment for Mauritius’ increasingly young and well-educated population.
2008 - Mauritius wins its first Olympic medal
Boxer Bruno Julie puts Mauritius on the world sports radar by reaching the bantamweight boxing semi-finals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
He wins his country’s very first Olympic medal - a bronze.
2012 - Jean Marie Leclezio wins the Nobel prize
French-Mauritian writer Jean Marie Leclezio is described by the Nobel judges as an “author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilisation”.
Referred to as a Frenchman, Leclezio claims his Mauritian heritage, saying: “I started in France, but my father was a British citizen, born in Mauritius. So I see myself as a mix, like many people currently in Europe.”
2014 - Mauritian visitor numbers reach one million tourists a year
The country celebrates crossing the 1m tourists mark, with an added airport terminal and modern road system to cater for the number of holidaymakers descending on the paradise island.
2015 - Mauritius scoops a wide range of tourism awards
Following the landmark number of tourists in the previous year, Mauritius picks up a total of twelve tourism awards in 2015. This includes awards for honeymoon, sustainability and luxury destinations.
2017 - Air Mauritius celebrates 50 years
The national airline celebrates its half century, saying on its blog:
“What started as an ambitious journey for a small airline on a small island in the Indian Ocean is now an established, competitive and respected international brand.”
2018 - A year of celebrations for the country’s Golden Jubilee
Celebratory events will span the entire year, culminating on Mauritius National Day in March 2018.
Activities include fireworks displays, a cultural show and an Olympic-style flame, which will visit all 12 local authorities throughout the year in a show of national unity.