1512 The Island is discovered by Pedro Mascarenhas.

1598 The arrival of the Dutch. They name the Island ‘Maurice’ in honour of their Prince of Nassau.

1638 – 1710 The Dutch colonisation. The start of the deforestation of the indigenous ‘bois d’Ebene’ and the extinction of the Dodo.

1715 The French take the island over and rename it ‘Ile de France’.

1735-1746 Francois Mahe de Labourdonnais becomes governor and shapes the future of the colony.

1767-1772 Pierre Poivre runs the island with the Governor Dumas. He improves the infrastructure and begins the creation of the Pamplemousse botanical gardens.

1794 The French abolish slavery in all of its colonies. Sugar estate owners put up a strong resistance against the abolition.

1810 The English take the island and re-name it ‘Mauritius’.

1835 Slavery is finally abolished. Workers for the cane fields are brought in from India.

1847 The famous ‘Blue penny’ stamp is printed.

1864 The first railway track is opened. The rail service continues to run for 62 years until 1926.

1866-1868 Outbreak of malaria – 50 000 casualties.

1892 The largest cyclone ever recorded devastates the island.

1946 First flights to Europe and Africa.

1968 Mauritius becomes independent.

1976 First free elections. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam becomes Prime Minister.

1992 On the 12th March, Mauritius becomes a Republic.