Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean, approximately 1,200 kms east of Madagascar and is conveniently located mid-way between Europe and the Far East. The island is entirely of volcanic origin and covers a total area of 1865 square kilometers (or 720 square miles).

The Dutch were the first to settle on the island in 1598 and were followed by the French in1715. The island became a British colony in 1810 and obtained its independence from England in 1968. Mauritius has since been an independent member of the Commonwealth and changed its status to a Republic in 1992. Mauritius has a multi racial population of about 1.2 million and whilst the official language is English, French is widely spoken on the island.

The island's legal system is based on a mixture of French (civil law) and English (common law). Mauritius is a politically stable, democratic state enjoying a vibrant economy including a rapidly developing International Financial Services Sector. The other main contributors to the economy are agriculture, textile manufacturing and of course tourism.

The continuing success and reputation of Mauritius as a regional financial services center has been strengthened by the firm commitment of the Government of Mauritius to promote and support its financial services sector.

Political and economic stability Independent judiciary system Favourable Time Zone (GMT+4) Reliable telecommunications network and availability of high bandwidth connectivity via the South Africa Far East (SAFE) fibre optic cable Membership of regional organisations such as the COMESA, SADC and IOR-ARC as well as strong ties with the EEC. Long established trade links with China, India, South Africa and USA Availability of bilingual qualified professionals (English and French) Suitable regulation for specialized financial services Low cost administration Freeport activities Generous tax incentives An enviable network of double tax treaties which makes of Mauritius an excellent tax planning jurisdiction Integrated Resort Scheme Occupation and Residence Permit Schemes Creation of a Cyber City and promotion of Mauritius into a Cyber island Emerging Information and Communication Technology sector Business Process Outsourcing