Q 01/05

Mauritius lies roughly how far off the southeastern coast of Africa?

A) 2,000 km

B) 500 km

C) 1,000 km

D) 1,500 km

Answer · why

A) 2,000 km

It sits east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

Q 02/05

What is the capital and largest city of Mauritius?

A) Curepipe

B) Quatre Bornes

C) Mahébourg

D) Port Louis

Answer · why

D) Port Louis

French governor Mahé de La Bourdonnais built it up as a naval base in the 1730s.

Q 03/05

The main island, together with French Réunion, belongs to which island group?

A) The Comoros

B) The Seychelles

C) The Mascarene Islands

D) The Chagos Islands

Answer · why

C) The Mascarene Islands

They were named for Pedro Mascarenhas, a Portuguese viceroy who visited in 1512.

Q 04/05

Mauritius was named in 1598 in honour of whom?

A) Saint Maurice

B) Maurice, Prince of Orange

C) King Louis XV

D) Admiral Mauritz van Warwyck

Answer · why

B) Maurice, Prince of Orange

The Dutch admiral Wybrand van Warwyck landed at what is now Grand Port.

Q 05/05

Under French rule from 1715 the island was known by what name?

A) Île Bourbon

B) Isle de France

C) Île Maurice

D) Ilha do Cisne

Answer · why

B) Isle de France

The Portuguese had earlier called it Ilha do Cisne, 'Island of the Swan'.