Republic of Mauritius

Mauritius is an island of Africa’s southeast coast located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Mauritius is approximately 2,000 km off the southeast coast of Africa. The island is surrounded by more than 150 km of white sandy beaches.

The lagoons are protected from the open sea by the world’s third largest coral reef, which surrounds the island. Just off the Mauritian coast lie some 49 uninhabited islands and islets, several of which are used as natural reserves for endangered species.

The Mauritian coat of arms were designed by the Mayor of Johannesburg in 1906, Johann Van Der Puf. In the lower left quarter is a key and on the right-hand side is a white star, which are referred to in the Latin motto: Stella Clavisque Maris Indici which means “Star and Key of the Indian Ocean”.