Mauritius Trivia

1. The island nation of Mauritius may not be remarkable in the International Olympics but is quite competitive among what regional games, named for the body of water in which Mauritius lies?

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: Indian Ocean Island Games

Mauritius lies in the Indian Ocean some 1200 miles (2000 km) off the coast of Africa, and about 686 miles (1104 km) from the island of Madagascar. Mauritius hosted the second and fifth Indian Ocean Island Games in 1985 and 2003. Participating countries include Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, and the Seychelles. The Games included everything from track and field to rugby union to sailing to taekwondo to basketball!

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Mascarene Islands

The Mascarene Islands are a group of islands off the coast in Africa which include Mauritius, Rodrigues, Reunion, Cargaods Carajos, and other island banks. Each of these islands was formed from an underground volcano near the island of Reunion.

From Quiz Mauritius, the Beautful Island

Answer: The Chamarel Waterfalls

The Chamarel Waterfalls are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius. They are formed by the River St.Denis. They have a height of 272 ft. (83m).

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: None

Like the United States, there is no official language designated by the Constitution of Mauritius, although English is spoken in administration, the courts, and business. English is official only in Parliament, where French is also acceptable. French is also often spoken in the workplace. The vernacular is Kreol morisyen (Mauritian creole). The reasons for the linguistic hodge-podge are historical. Mauritius was visited by the Portuguese, and then settled and subsequently abandoned by the Dutch. The French turned Mauritius into a plantation colony, and the French spoken by slaves became Kreol. Then the English seized Mauritius during the Napoleonic Wars, but never really settled there, though they did import foreign labor (Indian, Malay, and Chinese) to work the land.

From Quiz Mauritius, the Beautful Island

Answer: Grand Baie

In the 17th century the Dutch used to call Grand Baie 'De Bogt Zonder Eynt', which meant the 'Bay Without End'. It has approximately 12,000 people and is known for its wonderful scuba diving. It is located on the northern tip of the island and has beautiful, clear water.

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: Rupee

The rupee has been the currency of Mauritius since 1876 because of the large Indian immigration to Mauritius at the time. When the British took over Mauritius, they brought some 8,740 Indian soldiers to live on the island, and many indentured laborers worked in the sugar cane fields. (Slavery had been abolished in 1835). The Mauritian rupee replaced the Mauritian dollar, British pound sterling, Indian rupee, and other currencies used up to that point.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Beau-Bassin Rose-Hill

Beau-Bassin Rose-Hill is located on the western side of Mauritius, a little inland from the coast in the Plaines Wilhems District.

From Quiz Mauritius, the Beautful Island

Answer: Pereybere

Pereybere is a seaside resort with hotels, bungalows, villas and apartments spread everywhere. Most are modern and brand new. They post the latest architectural designs. One would not dare venture onto the white sand beaches without sunglasses because of the strong glare produced by the sun's reflection.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire

Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire is the highest point, at 2710 feet. Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire is part of the Black River mountain range. Pieter Both and Le Pouce serves as the second and third highest points, respectively.

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: The Seven-Coloured Earths

The Seven-Coloured Earths are a spectacular sight. Seven different colors of sand (red, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and brown) settle into layered stripes spontaneously, like rainbow sherbet. The hot, humid climate encourages volcanic rock (basalt) to decompose into clay, which through chemical weathering loses most of the silica and is left with aluminum (blue/violet) and iron (reddish). The different shades come from molten rock cooling at different rates, but the spontaneous stratification remains a mystery. Also puzzling is how the dunes never erode away, despite torrential rains. The Red Beach is in China, the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, USA.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Red, blue, yellow, green

The flag for Mauritius was adopted on March 12, 1968. The four colors on the flag represent in order: bloodshed, the Indian Ocean, a new light on the country, and vegetation. When Mauritius was under British rule, the flag of Mauritius consisted of the Union Jack in the top-left corner, a blue background, and the national seal of Mauritius.

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: Desert

Most of the rainforest and palm savannas (grasslands with widely spaced trees) of the island are gone, as are the heathlands (shrubs and wildflowers in marshy, acidic soil). Invasive plant species and plantation farming have destroyed most of the native vegetation; only about 2% of these areas remain. There are, however, white sandy beaches and lagoons protected by coral reef surrounding Mauritius, though the reef has experienced some degradation. Nearby islets serve now as nature reserves, and most of the remaining rainforest and heathlands on the main island are found in the Black River Gorges National Park near Chamarel village. The Mauritian flying fox (a fruit bat) and all the native birds reside there.

From Quiz Mauritius, the Beautful Island

Answer: Habitat reserve

Vallée de Ferney is a wonderful habitat reserve that protects a 400-year-old forest. It is home to many unusual animals including the Mauritius kestrel as it is a safe haven to a great variety of indigenous species, many of which are rare or threatened.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: The Prince of Orange

Maurice of Nassau was the Prince of Orange from 1618 to 1625. Dutch explorers who were looking for new land named the island after him. The first name given to Mauritius was "Dina Harobi", an Arabic name from Arabs who first discovered the island prior to 1500.

From Quiz Mauritius, the Beautful Island

Answer: Black River Gorges National Park

Black River Gorges National Park is the largest and arguably best national park. It is the last stand for Mauritian forests and many native species. It's also the most spectacular corner of the island. Once prime hunting grounds, the area became a protected reserve in 1994 after scientists identified over 300 species of flowering plant, nine endemic species of bird and a population of giant fruit bats that numbered more than 4000.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Agalega Islands

Probably discovered in the 16th or 17th century, the Agalega Islands are a group of islands whose economy is based mostly on the exportation of coconut oil. The islands are not very big, with a land area of 70 squared kilometers and a population of 300. According to Wikipedia: "At one time, no coinage circulated on the islands; all payment was by government-issued vouchers and debited directly from the inhabitants' salaries".

From Quiz Mauritius, Land of the Dodo

Answer: Dodo

Portuguese explorers discovered dodos when they landed on Mauritius in 1505. Living in isolation and knowing no predators, the birds were not afraid of human beings. Hungry sailors eagerly killed the placid 50-pound dodos for food. When the Dutch made Mauritius a penal colony, they introduced rats, pigs, and monkeys, which ate the dodos' eggs. The last dodo died in 1681. On the coat of arms stands a red and white dodo as a supporter on the dexter (right) side of the escutcheon (shield). On the other side stands a sambar deer, an introduced deer found throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Mauritius adopted the coat of arms in 1906 while it was still a British protectorate.

From Quiz Mauritius

Answer: Charles Darwin

The 812 meter point is said to have been first reached by famous scientist Charles Darwin. In his journal, Darwin writes "The scenery may be described as intermediate in character between that of the Galapagos and of Tahiti; but this will convey a definite idea to very few persons. It is a very pleasant country, but it has not the charms of Tahiti, or the grandeur of Brazil. The next day I ascended La Pouce, a mountain so called from a thumb-like projection, which rises close behind the town to a height of 2,600 feet." The legend of the town says that he was the first person to climb the mountain. So as being one of the largest names in the scientific field, he was also an avid mountaineer.

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Last Updated Feb 15 2025 5:52 AM

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