Mauritius

This little cluster of volcanic islands was uninhabited until discovered by Arab sailors over a thousand years ago. The Portuguese also discovered them in the 1500’s, making the islands known in the Western world. Although many European powers influenced these little islands, the country never lost its connection with the Arab world — a tie with the East which continues to influence its culture even today. First, the Dutch tried for over a century to establish a colony; however, they were unsuccessful. The French were the next to make an attempt, but after nearly a hundred years, the islands fell to the British, who governed them from 1810 until 1968.

With nearly a million-and-a-half people on approximately two-thousand square kilometers, the islands are one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The population is ethnically diverse from its history of trade. Most of the population speak Creole, a minority speak the Indian language of Bhojpuri, and less than 5% claim the official languages of English and French.

According to statistics, Mauritius is one of the most highly developed African countries, having a high-income, and reportedly being the most peaceful African country. Interestingly, it keeps no regular military forces and is a welfare state. As the citizens can testify, the prosperity and external peace of their nation can never bring peace within, and the majority of these islanders are still waiting for the Truth. Mauritius is Africa’s only nation with a Hindu predominance: nearly half the inhabitants are Hindu. Most of the remainder claim either Roman Catholicism or Islam.

Missionaries in Mauritius:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)