History of Mauritius in Timeline

Mauritius is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It comprises the main island and several smaller islands, including Rodrigues, Agaléga, and St. Brandon. The main island, home to the capital Port Louis, is where the majority of the population resides. The country covers 2,040 square kilometers but boasts an exclusive economic zone of roughly 2,000,000 square kilometers.

1901: Guano operating concessions on Tromelin island granted by British officials

In 1901, British officials granted four guano operating concessions on Tromelin Island.

1901: 1901 Deed mentioned in the Privy Council judgment

In 2008, the Privy Council confirmed Raphaël Fishing Company as holder of a Permanent Grant of thirteen islands mentioned in the 1901 Deed.

1903: Introduction of Motorcars

In 1903, motorcars were introduced in Mauritius.

1906: Seychelles becomes a separate colony

In 1906, the Seychelles became a separate colony from the British Colony of Mauritius.

1906: Seychelles Independence

Until 1906, the British colony of Mauritius included the Seychelles.

1909: Electrification of Port Louis

In 1909, Port Louis was electrified.

1910: Introduction of Taxis

In 1910, the first taxis came into service in Mauritius.

1911: Curepipe Riots

In 1911, riots occurred in Port Louis due to a false rumour about Eugène Laurent's murder, known as the 1911 Curepipe riots. Also, in 1911, the first public cinema shows took place in Curepipe, and a stone building was erected to house the Royal College.

1912: Telephone Network Expansion

In 1912, a wider telephone network was established for government, business, and some private use.

August 1914: World War I Begins

In August 1914, World War I broke out, and many Mauritians volunteered to fight in Europe and Mesopotamia.

1918: End of World War I

The 1914–1918 war was a period of great prosperity for Mauritius, due to a boom in sugar prices.

1919: Establishment of Mauritius Sugar Syndicate

In 1919, the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate was established, including 70% of all sugar producers.

1921: Indentured Labourers

Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured labourers were present on the island.

1921: Elections and Decline of Retrocessionism

In 1921, elections saw the collapse of the "retrocessionism" movement, which favoured the retrocession of Mauritius to France, as none of its candidates were elected.

1926: Indo-Mauritian Representation in Legislative Council

In 1926, Dunputh Lallah and Rajcoomar Gujadhur became the first Indo-Mauritians to be elected to the Legislative Council.

1936: Birth of the Labour Party

In 1936, the Labour Party was launched by Maurice Curé.

1937: Uba Riots and Labour Reforms

The Uba riots of 1937 resulted in reforms by the local British government that improved labour conditions and led to the un-banning of labour unions.

1938: First Labour Day Celebration

In 1938, Labour Day was celebrated for the first time in Mauritius, with over 30,000 workers attending a meeting at the Champ de Mars.

1939: Outbreak of World War II

At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, many Mauritians volunteered to serve under the British flag.

March 1943: Creation of the Mauritius Regiment

On March 24, 1943, the Mauritius Regiment was created as an imperial unit.

September 1943: Belle Vue Harel Massacre

On 27 September 1943, the labourers of Belle Vue Harel Sugar Estate went on strike. Police officers fired directly at the crowd, resulting in the deaths of four labourers. This became known as the 1943 Belle Vue Harel Massacre.

December 1943: Mass Gathering at Marie Reine de la Paix

On 12 December 1943, Basdeo Bissoondoyal organised a mass gathering at "Marie Reine de la Paix" in Port Louis.

1947: Proclamation of the Constitution of Mauritius

After the proclamation of the 1947 Constitution of Mauritius, the general elections were held on 9 August 1948.

August 1948: General Elections

On 9 August 1948, general elections were held, expanding the franchise to all adults who could write their name in one of the island's 19 languages. On 23 August 1948, the Governor-General Donald Mackenzie-Kennedy appointed 12 Conservatives to the Legislative Council .

1951: Guano operating concessions on Tromelin island granted by British officials

In 1951, British officials granted four guano operating concessions on Tromelin Island.

1953: Labour Party Improved Position

In 1953, Guy Rozemont's party bettered its position, and demanded universal suffrage.

1955: Constitutional Conferences

Constitutional conferences were held in London in 1955.

1957: Constitutional Conferences

Constitutional conferences were held in London in 1957, and the ministerial system was introduced.

March 1959: Universal Adult Suffrage Voting

On 9 March 1959, voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage. The general election was won by the Labour Party, led by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

1959: British officials consider Tromelin part of its territory

In 1959, British officials in Mauritius informed the World Meteorological Organization that it considered Tromelin to be part of its territory.

1959: Harold Macmillan's "Wind of Change Speech"

In 1959, Harold Macmillan made his famous "Wind of Change Speech", acknowledging that the best option for Britain was to give complete independence to its colonies.

1960: Destruction of Mauritian Architectural Heritage

From 1960 to 1980, historic homes in Mauritius, known as campagnes, disappeared at alarming rates due to political, social, and economic changes.

1961: Constitutional Review Conference

In 1961, a Constitutional Review Conference was held in London, establishing a programme of further constitutional advance.

1963: Election Won by Labour Party

In 1963, the election was won by the Labour Party and its allies.

May 1965: Racial Riots and State of Emergency

On 10 May 1965, racial riots broke out in the village of Trois Boutiques and progressed to Mahébourg, leading to a nationwide state of emergency.

November 1965: United Kingdom splits Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius

In November 1965, the United Kingdom split the Chagos Archipelago away from Mauritius, and the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches from the Seychelles, to form the British Indian Ocean Territory.

1965: Lancaster Conference

At the Lancaster Conference of 1965, it became clear that Britain wanted to relieve itself of the colony of Mauritius.

1965: Detachment of the Chagos Archipelago

In 1965 the detachment of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius.

1965: Chagos Archipelago Excision

In 1965, the Chagos Archipelago was excised from the territory of Mauritius to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

1965: UK splits Chagos Archipelago

In 1965, the UK split the Chagos Archipelago from British Mauritius to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

August 1967: General election

In August 1967, a general election took place, resulting in the Independence Party winning the majority of seats.

January 1968: 1968 Mauritian riots

In January 1968, six weeks before Mauritius declared independence, the 1968 Mauritian riots occurred in Port Louis, leading to 25 deaths.

March 1968: Independence Proclaimed

On 12 March 1968, Mauritius adopted a new constitution, and independence was proclaimed. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam became the first prime minister, with Queen Elizabeth II remaining head of state as Queen of Mauritius.

1968: Independence of Mauritius

After the independence of Mauritius in 1968, the nation maintained the Privy Council as its highest court of appeal.

1968: British officials expel Chagossians

Between 1968 and 1973, British officials forcibly expelled over 1,000 Chagossians to Mauritius and the Seychelles.

1968: Independence

In 1968, Mauritius achieved independence, ending its status as a primarily sugar-dominated plantation-based colony of the British Empire.

1969: Founding of Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM)

In 1969, the opposition party, Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), was founded, led by Paul Bérenger.

December 1971: Imprisonment of MMM members

On 23 December 1971, members of the MMM, including Paul Bérenger, were imprisoned. The MMM leader was released a year later.

1971: MMM-backed strikes and state of emergency

In 1971, the MMM, backed by unions, called a series of strikes in the port, which caused a state of emergency in the country.

1971: Diego Garcia is inhabited by UK and US military

Since 1971, the atoll of Diego Garcia is inhabited, home to some 3,000 UK and US military and civilian contracted personnel.

April 1972: Diplomatic relations established with China

Mauritius established diplomatic relations with China in April 1972 and was forced to defend this decision.

1972: Use of 1972 Ethnic Statistics

As per the constitutional provision, the 1972 ethnic statistics are used to implement the Best Loser System, which has been in use since the 1950s to guarantee ethnic representation in the National Assembly.

1972: Last Census Measuring Ethnicity

The 1972 census was the last one to measure ethnicity in Mauritius.

1973: British officials expel Chagossians

Between 1968 and 1973, British officials forcibly expelled over 1,000 Chagossians to Mauritius and the Seychelles.

1973: Mauritius free from malaria

In 1973, Mauritius became the first country in Africa to be free from diagnoses of malaria.

May 1975: Student revolt

In May 1975, a student revolt that started at the University of Mauritius swept across the country. On 20 May, thousands of students clashed with police while trying to enter Port-Louis.

November 1975: UK discusses intention to return islands to Seychelles

In November 1975, during UK-US discussions, the United Kingdom expressed its intention to return the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches to Seychelles.

December 1975: Extension of voting rights

On 16 December 1975, an act of Parliament was passed to extend the right to vote to 18-year-olds in an attempt to appease the frustration of the younger generation.

March 1976: UK and Seychelles sign agreement to transfer islands

On March 18, 1976, the UK and Seychelles signed an agreement to transfer the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches.

June 1976: Islands officially returned to Seychelles

On June 29, 1976, the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Desroches officially returned to Seychelles on its Independence Day.

December 1976: General elections

On 20 December 1976, the general elections took place. The Labour-CAM coalition won 28 seats. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam remained in office by forming an alliance with the PMSD.

1980: Destruction of Mauritian Architectural Heritage

From 1960 to 1980, historic homes in Mauritius, known as campagnes, disappeared at alarming rates due to political, social, and economic changes.

1981: CIA planned covert operation

In 1981, United States newspapers reported that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was planning a covert operation to support the government of Mauritius as part of CIA strategy in the larger Cold War.

June 1982: MMM-PSM government split

The MMM-PSM government split up nine months after the June 1982 election, with an Information Ministry official calling the nine months a "socialist experiment".

1982: Constitutional Amendment

Following a Constitutional amendment in 1982, the census stopped compiling data on ethnic identities but continued to collect data on religious affiliation.

1982: Election of MMM-PSM government

In 1982 an MMM-PSM government (led by PM Anerood Jugnauth, Deputy PM Harish Boodhoo and Finance Minister Paul Bérenger) was elected.

March 1983: Power struggle and Indian intervention plan

In March 1983, a power struggle between Bérenger and Jugnauth peaked. PM Indira Gandhi of India planned an armed intervention to prevent a coup under the code name Operation Lal Dora.

August 1983: MSM-Labour-PMSD coalition victory

At the August 1983 elections, the MSM-Labour-PMSD coalition was victorious, resulting in Anerood Jugnauth as PM and Gaëtan Duval as Deputy PM.

1984: Discontent and protest against Newspaper Act

As early as 1984, there was discontent. Through the Newspapers and Periodicals Amendment Act, the government tried to make every newspaper provide a bank guarantee. Journalists protested and were arrested, causing a public outcry.

1985: Indian Ocean Island Games

In 1985, Mauritius hosted the second edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games.

1985: Growth in EPZ sector and opening of retail chains

In 1985, large retail chains began opening stores and offering credit facilities, thus allowing low-income earners to afford basic household appliances.

1987: Claims about potential Soviet naval base

In 1987, Bob Woodward wrote that the U.S. government feared that Mauritius could become a Soviet naval base if a "pro-Western" government did not remain in power.

1989: Stock exchange opening

In 1989, the stock exchange opened its doors.

1990: Failed attempt to change the Constitution

In 1990, the Prime Minister lost the vote on changing the Constitution to make the country a republic with Bérenger as president.

1991: Failure of education master plan

In 1991, a master plan for education failed to get national support and contributed to the government's downfall.

March 1992: Mauritius proclaimed a republic

On 12 March 1992, Mauritius was proclaimed a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo became the first President.

1992: Economic Miracle - Romer (1992)

In 1992, Romer referred to the economic history of Mauritius since independence as "the Mauritian Miracle".

1992: Legislative Assembly becomes National Assembly

In 1992, the Legislative Assembly was renamed the National Assembly when the country became a republic.

1992: Freeport operation begins

In 1992, the freeport began operation.

December 1995: Election of Navin Ramgoolam as PM

In December 1995, Navin Ramgoolam was elected as PM of the Labour–MMM alliance.

October 1996: Triple murder in Port Louis

In October 1996, the triple murder of political activists at Gorah-Issac Street in Port Louis led to several arrests and a long investigation.

1999: Civil unrest and riots

The year 1999 was marked by civil unrest and riots in February and May, including the Kaya riots. Calm was restored after tours by President Cassam Uteem and Cardinal Jean Margéot.

January 2000: Rajen Sabapathee shot dead

In January 2000, political activist Rajen Sabapathee was shot dead after he escaped from La Bastille jail.

September 2000: Return of Sir Anerood Jugnauth to power

In September 2000, Sir Anerood Jugnauth of the MSM returned to power after securing an alliance with the MMM.

2000: Languages Spoken - 2000 Census

In 2000, Bhojpuri was spoken by 12.1% of the population.

2002: St. Brandon classified by UNESCO

In 2002, St. Brandon was classified in 10th place globally by UNESCO for inclusion as a World Heritage Site.

2002: Rodrigues becomes an autonomous entity

In 2002, the island of Rodrigues became an autonomous entity within the republic.

2003: Indian Ocean Island Games

In 2003, Mauritius hosted the fifth edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games.

2003: Transfer of prime ministership to Paul Bérenger

In 2003, the prime ministership was transferred to Paul Bérenger of the MMM, and Sir Anerood Jugnauth became president.

2005: Navin Ramgoolam becomes PM

In the 2005 elections, Navin Ramgoolam became PM under the new coalition of Labour–PMXD–VF–MR–MMSM.

2005: Free Public Transport

Since 2005, public buses in Mauritius have been free of charge for students, people with disabilities, and senior citizens.

2008: Summer Olympics in Beijing

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Bruno Julie won a bronze medal, marking Mauritius's first Olympic medal.

2008: Nobel Prize for Literature

In 2008, Jean-Marie Le Clézio, of Mauritian heritage, won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

2008: Privy Council judgment on Raphaël Fishing Company

In 2008, the Privy Council confirmed Raphaël Fishing Company as holder of a Permanent Grant of thirteen islands mentioned in the 1901 Deed.

April 2010: UK declares Chagos Marine Protected Area

In April 2010, the UK declared the Chagos Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago.

December 2010: Mauritius initiates proceedings against the UK

In December 2010, Mauritius initiated proceedings against the United Kingdom under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to challenge the legality of the Chagos Marine Protected Area.

2010: Co-management treaty reached by France and Mauritius

In 2010, France and Mauritius reached a co-management treaty regarding Tromelin Island, but it has not been ratified.

2010: Success of Africa - Frankel (2010)

In 2010, Frankel described Mauritius' economic history as the "success of Africa".

2010: Labour–MSM–PMSD alliance secures power

In the 2010 elections the Labour–MSM–PMSD alliance secured power and Navin Ramgoolam remained PM.

2011: Mauritius ranks second in air quality index by WHO

In 2011, Mauritius ranked second in an air quality index released by the World Health Organization.

2011: Economic Success - Stiglitz (2011)

In 2011, Stiglitz acknowledged the economic success of Mauritius.

2011: Ministry recommends St Brandon be declared a Marine protected area

In 2011, the Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development issued the "Mauritius Environment Outlook Report," which recommended that St Brandon be declared a Marine protected area.

2011: Population Trends in 2011

In 2011, the census data indicated that the proportion of children aged below 15 years was 20.7%.

2012: Marine Economy Development in 2012

In 2012, the government of Mauritius announced its intention to develop the marine economy.

2012: Founding of Université des Mascareignes

The Université des Mascareignes was founded in 2012.

2013: Government Expenditure on Education in 2013

In 2013, government expenditure on education was estimated at ₨ 13,584 million, representing 13% of total expenditure.

2014: IUCN changes species status to Vulnerable

In 2014 the status of the species was then changed by the IUCN from Endangered to Vulnerable.

2014: Navin Ramgoolam remained PM until 2014

Navin Ramgoolam remained PM until 2014.

2014: MSM–PMSD–ML coalition victory

The MSM–PMSD–ML coalition was victorious at the 2014 elections under Anerood Jugnauth's leadership.

June 2015: Adherence to Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters

In June 2015, Mauritius adhered to the multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.

November 2015: Government sanctioned culling introduced

In November 2015, the government sanctioned culling was introduced due to the belief that they were a threat to fruit plantations.

March 2016: St Brandon declared an official MWF project

In March 2016, St Brandon was declared an official MWF (Mauritian Wildlife Foundation) project to promote the conservation of the atoll.

2016: Britain extends lease to the US till 2036

In 2016, Britain extended the lease of Diego Garcia to the United States till 2036 for a military base.

2016: Chagossian population estimates

In 2016, the Chagossian population was estimated at 8,700 in Mauritius, 350 in the Seychelles, and 3,000 in the UK.

2016: ICT Sector Contribution to GDP in 2016

In 2016, the information and communications technology (ICT) sector contributed to 5.7% of Mauritius' GDP.

January 2017: Nine-Year Continuous Basic Education programme

In January 2017, the government introduced the Nine-Year Continuous Basic Education programme, abolishing the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE).

January 2017: Resignation of Anerood Jugnauth and assumption of office by Pravind Jugnauth

On 21 January 2017, Sir Anerood Jugnauth announced his resignation and his son Pravind Jugnauth assumed the office of prime minister on 23 January 2017.

October 2018: Authorisation of fruit bat cull

In October 2018, the cull of 20% of the fruit bat population was authorized.

2018: Resignation of President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

In 2018, Mauritian president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned over a financial scandal.

2018: Tourist Arrivals in 2018

In 2018, Mauritius had 1,399,408 tourist arrivals.

2018: Financial Activities Contribution to GDP in 2018

In 2018, financial and insurance activities contributed to 11.1% of the country's GDP.

2018: Gross Domestic Product in 2018

In 2018, the Gross Domestic Product (PPP) of Mauritius was estimated at US$29.187 billion, and GDP (PPP) per capita was over US$22,909, the second highest in Africa.

2018: Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranking

The 2018 Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranked Mauritius first in good governance.

February 2019: International Court of Justice rules against UK administration of Chagos Archipelago

On February 25, 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the United Kingdom is under an obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible.

May 2019: United Nations General Assembly adopts resolution on Chagos Archipelago

On May 22, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming that the Chagos Archipelago "forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius" and demanded that the UK withdraw its colonial administration within six months.

July 2019: Population estimate of Agaléga and St. Brandon

According to Statistics Mauritius, at 1 July 2019, the population of Agaléga and St. Brandon was estimated at 274.

July 2019: Population estimate of Rodrigues

According to Statistics Mauritius, at 1 July 2019, the population of Rodrigues was estimated at 43,371.

November 2019: MSM victory in general elections

In November 2019, the ruling Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) won more than half of the seats in parliament, securing Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth a new five-year term.

November 2019: National Assembly Election held

The most recent National Assembly Election was held on November 7, 2019, in all the 20 mainland constituencies, and in the constituency covering the island of Rodrigues.

December 2019: Prithvirajsing Roopun becomes president

Prithvirajsing Roopun has served as the incumbent president since December 2019.

2019: Economic Freedom Ranking in 2019

According to the 2019 Economic Freedom of the World report, Mauritius is ranked as having the 9th most free economy in the world.

2019: High-income Economy in 2019

According to the World Bank in 2019, Mauritius is classified as a high-income economy.

2019: Tuition-Free Education in 2019

As of 2019, the four public universities and several other technical institutes and higher education colleges are tuition-free for students.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index ranking

In 2019, Mauritius had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.46/10, ranking it 100th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Indian Ocean Island Games

In 2019, Mauritius hosted the tenth edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games.

2019: Tourist Arrivals Forecast for 2019

The forecast for tourist arrivals for the year 2019 is maintained at 1,450,000, representing an increase of 3.6% over the figure of 1,399,408 in 2018.

July 2020: MV Wakashio oil spill and environmental state of emergency

In July 2020, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared an environmental state of emergency after the MV Wakashio oil spill.

July 2020: MV Wakashio oil spill

On 25 July 2020, the MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius, leaking up to 1,000 tonnes of heavy oil into a lagoon.

2022: 2022 Census on Religion

According to the 2022 census, 47.87% of the Mauritian population follows Hinduism, 32.29% Christianity (24.94% Catholic), 18.24% Islam, and 0.86% other religions. 0.63% reported as non-religious.

2022: Languages Spoken - 2022 Census

According to the 2022 census, Bhojpuri was spoken by 5.1% of the population.

2022: Nationalities and Languages

In 2022, Bangladeshi and Indian nationals rose to 1.21% and 1.19% of the total resident population respectively, with Bengali spoken at home by 1.18% of the population. Non-Mauritians made up 2.62% of the total resident population.

2022: Literacy Rate and Education Levels in 2022

In 2022, the adult literacy rate was 91.9%, with 8.8% of the total population holding a tertiary level qualification.

2023: Democracy Index ranking

According to the 2023 Democracy Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Mauritius ranks 20th worldwide.

May 2024: Launch of Saint Brandon Conservation Trust

On 8 May 2024, the Saint Brandon Conservation Trust was launched internationally at the Corporate Council on Africa in Dallas, Texas, with the mission to protect, restore and conserve St. Brandon.

October 2024: Announcement of transfer of sovereignty of Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius

On October 3, 2024, it was announced that the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago was to be transferred to Mauritius, except for Diego Garcia, which will be leased to the United Kingdom for 99 years.

November 2024: Alliance du Changement wins general election

On 10 November 2024, the opposition coalition, Alliance du Changement, won the Mauritian general election, and its leader Navin Ramgoolam, became new prime minister.

2024: Bilateral agreement on Chagos Islands sovereignty recognition

In 2024, a bilateral agreement was made on the recognition of the Chagos Islands' sovereignty.

2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking in 2024

Mauritius was ranked 55th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024, placing 1st in Africa.

2024: V-Dem Democracy Report

The V-Dem Democracy Report described 2024 Mauritius as the 18th most electoral democratic country in Africa and autocratizing.

2030: Climate Change Targets

Mauritius plans to eliminate coal from electricity generation by 2030, reduce landfill waste by diverting 70% of it through a circular economy approach, and increase the share of electric vehicles to 15% by 2030.