Mauritius Independence Day 2024: History, Significance and interesting facts

Every year, March 12 is observed as Mauritius Independence Day which celebrates the anniversary of the country gaining independence from British rule. Mauritius has been under  the control of the French, Dutch and Britishers but on 12 March 1968, after gaining independence from the Britishers, it finally became a free country.

People all over the country celebrate this day with great excitement and celebrations mainly include traditional and cultural events organized in different parts of Mauritius.

Mauritius Independence Day 2024 Date

Below mentioned are the upcoming dates for Mauritius Independence Day for the upcoming 5 years.

Mauritius Independence Day 2024 Overview

Significance

Mauritius Independence Day is celebrated every year on the 12^th of March. Not only the day celebrates the anniversary of the country’s independence but at the same time also celebrates the country as a whole, its people, culture, and traditions.

Colonial History & Mauritius Independence Day

Everyone knows about the beauty of Mauritius but not many people are aware of its long colonial history. Here are given brief yet interesting details of Mauritius’ history and its independence from colonial rule.

Mauritius was first discovered by the Moors but it was Portuguese who is credited for putting the country on the world map. The Portuguese came to the country in 1507 but due to harsh living conditions on the island, they soon abandoned the country in 1513. In 1598, the Dutch came to the island and established settlements on them. Since these settlements were not much profitable for them, they too left the island.

Next came the French to this island who brought their own slaves from the countries of India and Africa and made them work on the plantations established by the Dutch. But when the Napoleonic Wars broke out, the British captured the islands and Mauritius was turned into a British colonial country.

Also Check Special Days in March

Although the Britishers abolished slavery in the country, they were still forcing workers from around the world to work on the island for free. Repressed by them for too long, an  independence campaign started gaining momentum after 1961. As a result, the British Government agreed to grant additional self-government and eventual independence.

In 1967, a coalition of Mauritian local parties won the election and soon after this the country gained total independence on 12 March 1968. The date of 12 March was chosen to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt March which occurred on 12 March 1930. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam became the first prime minister of independent Mauritius.

Celebration

Mauritius Independence Day is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm by the people of the country. Many cultural events, official speeches, parades, parties, etc are organized by organizations and individuals to celebrate this day. People also take this day as an opportunity to learn more about the culture and traditions of the country.

To celebrate this day, you can participate in cultural events organized by different organizations, schools, offices, etc. You can also throw parties at your home to celebrate the culture and diversity of the country with your friends and family.

Interesting facts about Mauritius

On the occasion of Mauritius Independence Day, let us learn some quick interesting facts about the country.

1. The Mauritian islands were formed around 9 million years ago, from the lava spewed out by underwater volcanoes.
2. Mauritius is surrounded by volcanoes, rivers, streams & waterfalls on all four sides.
3. It was originally discovered by Arab Sailors back in 975 and was called Dina Arobi.
4. Three nations have colonized Mauritius over the years- the Netherlands (1638-1710), France (1715-1810) and Great Britain (1810-1968).
5. Almost 90% of the Mauritian population is literate.
6. Mauritius is the only African nation with Hinduism as the dominant religion.
7. There is no standing army in the country.
8. The Pink Pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world is found in Mauritius.
9. There are two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mauritius.
10. Over a million tourists came to Mauritius every year, outnumbering the natives.

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