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The Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th Centuries were the first Europeans to discover the island of Mauritius; however it was named after the Dutch ruler Maurice, Prince of Orange, when a Dutch naval explorer landed there in 1598. Despite naming the island, the Dutch did not settle there for about half a century, preferring to use it merely as a supply base. When they did settle permanently, they introduced not only wildlife in the form of wild boar and deer, but also slaves, tobacco and more importantly sugar cane, which still remains the principal export today. However, by the early 18th Century the Dutch had abandoned the island, allowing the French to take over and rename it Ile de France.
The French prospered for almost a century until the Napoleonic Wars when the British gained the island along with the Seychelles and Rodrigues under the Treaty of Paris in 1814. The island was renamed Mauritius but the people were allowed to keep their French language and religion; meanwhile the slaves were freed and workers for the flourishing sugar cane production were imported from China and, in particular, India.
The two world wars left Mauritius relatively unaffected, but a sense of nationalism started to grow and political parties were founded. The Labour Party was led by Dr Seewoosagur Ramgoolam who finally gained independence for the island in 1968 continuing as Prime Minister for the next 13 years. Despite a remarkable diversity of race, colour and creed, Mauritius remains a stable and prosperous country.
