People

Mauritius has a population of 1.3 million, growing at an annual rate of 0.8 percent. Approximately 40 percent of the population inhabits the urban area that stretches from Port Louis, the capital, to Curepipe. About 68 percent of the nation's people are Indo-Mauritians, descendants of laborers brought from India to work on British sugar plantations. Another 27 percent are Creoles, descendants of Africans (from West and East Africa) brought by the French to the island as slaves. Sino-Mauritians (of Chinese origin) account for 3 percent of the population and Franco-Mauritians (of French origin) constitute 2 percent. About 10,000 foreign workers, mostly Chinese women, also reside in Mauritius. These diverse peoples live in relative harmony, but disruptions are not infrequent. English, the official language of Mauritius, is not spoken much in day-to-day communication. French and English are used almost exclusively in government and business. Road signs are in English, and most newspapers and media communications are in French. Television and radio programming is usually in French or Hindi and occasionally in English and Creole. Creole, Bhojpuri, Hindi, Urdu, and Hakka (a Chinese dialect) are the main languages spoken on Mauritius. Creole (spoken by 90 percent of the population) was developed in the 18th century by early slaves who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other and with their French masters, who did not understand the various African languages. The pidgin evolved in later generations to become a useful, casual language. Bhojpuri on Mauritius is a combination of the Bhojpuri Indian dialect and several other Indian dialects originally spoken by early Indian laborers. Most Mauritians are at least bilingual. Creole and Bhojpuri are rarely used in written form. English, the official language of Mauritius, is not spoken much in day-to-day communication. French and English are used almost exclusively in government and business. Road signs are in English, and most newspapers and media communications are in French. Television and radio programming is usually in French or Hindi and occasionally in English and Creole. Creole, Bhojpuri, Hindi, Urdu, and Hakka (a Chinese dialect) are the main languages spoken on Mauritius. Creole (spoken by 90 percent of the population) was developed in the 18th century by early slaves who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other and with their French masters, who did not understand the various African languages. The pidgin evolved in later generations to become a useful, casual language. Bhojpuri on Mauritius is a combination of the Bhojpuri Indian dialect and several other Indian dialects originally spoken by early Indian laborers. Most Mauritians are at least bilingual. Creole and Bhojpuri are rarely used in written form. The Mauritian people are family oriented and religious. They are also optimistic, outgoing, intelligent, generous, and industrious. A generally relaxed attitude toward life is evident in Mauritians' casual approach to time schedules. People are considered more important than schedules, and being late for an appointment is not inappropriate. Mauritians have an ability to synthesize and adopt new ideas and cultures, combining Eastern philosophical values with a Western sense of rationalism and pragmatism. Although ethnic identity is strong, most people recognize the need for national unity. Most Mauritian men wear conservative, Western-style clothing and wear traditional attire only on special occasions or holidays. For Hindu men, this would include a //langouti// (ankle-length cotton garment tied at the waist). Muslim men might wear a //salwaar-kameez// (broad pants that narrow at the ankle and a knee-length shirt). Mauritian women also wear modest Western fashions but are more likely than men to wear traditional attire. For instance, Hindu women may wear a //saree// (a wraparound skirt with one end draped over the shoulder) and a //choli// (tight blouse). Muslim women may wear a //salwaar-kameez//. Many married Indo-Mauritian women wear a //tika// (a red dot made from vermilion powder) on their forehead to signify their husbands are alive. It is common for women to buy material and have outfits made for them by their local tailor, especially for special occasions such as weddings. Men's suits are also often custom-made.
 * __Population__**
 * __Language__**
 * __Religion__**
 * __Attitude__**
 * __Appearance__**