Rodrigues Island Region Île Rodrigues Zil Rodrigues
Coat of arms of Rodrigues
Motto: "Travail, Solidarité, Fierté"  (French) "Labour, Solidarity, Pride"
Anthem: "Motherland"
Capital		Port Mathurin 19°43′S 63°25′E / 19.717°S 63.417°E / -19.717; 63.417
Official language(s)		English[1]
Vernacular		Rodriguan Creole French English
Demonym		Rodriguan
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Sir Anerood Jugnauth
-	Prime Minister	Navinchandra Ramgoolam
-	Chief Commissioner	Louis Serge Clair
-	Chief Executive of Rodrigues	Pritam Singh Mattan
Legislature		Parliament
-	Lower house	Rodrigues Regional Assembly
Area
-	Total	109 km2  42 sq mi
Population
-	2011 estimate	37,922[2]
-	2000 census	35,779
Currency		Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Time zone		MUT (UTC+4)
-	Summer (DST)	(DST not observed) (UTC)
Date formats		dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Drives on the		left
Internet TLD		.mu
Calling code		230

Rodrigues (French: îles Rodrigues) named after Dom Diogo Rodrigues is a semi-autonomous island part of the Republic of Mauritius located in the Indian Ocean, about 650 kilometres (400 mi) north-east of Mauritius.^[3] It is the is part of the Mascarene Islands which include Mauritius, Cargados Carajos shoals and the french island Réunion, other nearby island countries and territories include Tromelin, Agalega, Comoros, Mayotte and the Seychelles to the far north-west. The area of Rodrigues is 108 km²,^[3] it is of volcanic origin surrounded by coral reef, just off its coast lie some tiny uninhabited islands and islets. The island used the be the tenth district of Mauritius before it gained autonomous status in 2001 and is governed by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. The capital of the island is Port Mathurin.

As of 2011, the island's population was about 37,922. Its inhabitants are Mauritian citizens.^[2] English is the official language of the island,^[1] though people also speak French, Indian languages and some oriental languages are also spoken, the lingua franca is Rodriguan Creole.^[4] The main religion is Roman Catholicism with small minorities of other religions. Most of the inhabitants are of mixed African and French descent. Its economy is based mainly on fishing, farming, handicraft and a developing tourism sector.^[4]

Etymology[link]

This section requires expansion.

The island was named after the Portuguese explorer Dom Diogo Rodrigues in February 1528. It still has the same name from then. Many maps also describe it as Diego Roiz.

History[link]

From the 10th century, Arabs have been known to visit the Mascarene Islands. A 12th century map by the Arab geographer Ash-Sharif al-Idrisi^{[verification needed][citation needed]} supposedly contains them, and the Cantino planisphere of c.1500 and some other contemporary maps clearly show the three islands of the Mascarenes as Dina Arobi (or Harobi), Dina Margabin and Dina Moraze. These are apparently corrupted transliterations or transcriptions of the Arabic Diva Harab ("Desert Island"), Diva Maghrebin ("Western Island") and Diva Mashriq ("Eastern Island"). While the second clearly refers to Réunion, sources disagree about which of the other is Mauritius and which one Rodrigues, which are both to the east of Réunion and arranged in a somewhat stylized way on these maps. However, even in its original state, Rodrigues had some karst, while Mauritius even after suffering 500 years of deforestation can by no means be called "desert" even in a colloquial sense.^[5]

The island was located again in February 1507. Part of the fleet of Afonso de Albuquerque and Tristão da Cunha, Diogo Fernandes Pereira's Cirne^{[verification needed]} spotted Réunion on February 9 after a cyclone diverted their course. The other two islands were subsequently rediscovered. The initial name was Diogo Fernandes; Domingo Froiz was given as a name some years later, and by 1528 it had been again renamed after the Portuguese navigator Dom Diogo Rodrigues and has remained so since. The orthography has been less stable at first, with the name being transcribed Diego Rodriguez,Diego Roiz, Diego Ruys (or even "Diego Ruy's Island"), Dygarroys or Bygarroys. Some early French sources called it Île Marianne.

Due to the island lying far off the beaten track of seafarers at that time, it received few visits. From 1601, the Dutch began visiting the island somewhat more regularly for fresh supplies of food. In 1691 the Huguenot, François Leguat and 7 companions landed on the island, intending to set up a farming colony of Protestant refugees. Farming was not successful, but there was an abundance of tortoises, turtles, birds, fish and other seafood.

During the 18th century several attempts were made by the French to develop the island. African slaves (ancestors of the present population) were brought to Rodrigues to develop stockbreeding and farming.

In 1809, after a brief battle with the French, British troops took possession of Rodrigues. And with British occupation, slavery was abolished.

In 1883, the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa was heard at Rodrigues Island and it remains the furthest point at almost 4800 km, at which the explosion was heard. The sound was described as "the roar of heavy guns". Naval ships were ordered to investigate as it was feared the sound was due to a ship in distress firing its guns. Having been heard from about 5000 km (3000 mi) away on the other side of the Indian Ocean, the noise remains the loudest sound in recorded history.

In 1968, Rodrigues was joined with Mauritius when it attained independence; today it is an autonomous region of Mauritius.

In 2002, the island was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Rodrigues.

Politics[link]

Rodrigues Regional Assembly

The island of Rodrigues is presently a constituency of the Republic of Mauritius and is dependent on the latter. However, on the 20th November 2001, the Mauritius National Assembly has unanimously adopted two laws giving Rodrigues its autonomy and as such, creating a decentralized government system. This new legislation has allowed the implementation of a regional Assembly in Rodrigues constituting of 18 members and an executive council headed by a Chief Commissioner. The council meets every week to take decisions, draw up laws and manage the budget. The Chief Commissioner has the main task of informing the Mauritian Prime Minister of the management of the island’s concerns. The last Election of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly was held on 5 February 2012. The Organisation du Peuple de Rodrigues (OPR) party was the winner and obtained eleven seats, while the Mouvement Rodriguais (MR) obtained 8 and Front Patriotique Rodriguais (FPR) 2 seats.^[6] The actual chief commissioner is Louis Serge Clair and the Chief Executive of Rodrigues is Pritam Singh Mattan.

Geography[link]

Calcarenitic shore of Rodrigues island, at Pointe Coton

Rodrigues is a volcanic island rising from a ridge along the edge of the Mascarene Plateau. The tectonically active Rodrigues Triple Point lies on the seafloor nearby. Even if the plateau under the lagoon surrounding Rodrigues may be much more ancient than the island, Rodrigues is only 1.5 million years old,^[7] over time Rodrigues has developed a unique environment, including many endemic species.

Rodrigues Island is situated some 560 kilometres (350 mi) kilometres to the East of Mauritius. It is located between Latitudes 19°40 and 19°46 South and Longitudes 63°20 and 63°30 East. It is about 18 km long and 6.5 km wide with an area of 108 km².^[8][3] The shape is that of a whale back with a central ridge and deep cut valleys. The island is hilly with a central spine culminating in the highest peak, Mountain Limon 398 metres (1,306 ft). Rodrigues is the only Mascarene Island with extensive limestone deposits and caves. A large fringing reef surrounds the island forming a lagoon within which lie eighteen small islets.^[9][10]

The coral reef of Rodrigues is of particular interest as it is self-seeding – it receives no coral zooplankton from elsewhere. This has led to an overall species-poor but highly adapted ecosystem. A species of coral, two species of Pomacentrus damselfish and many new species of crustaceans are only found on Rodrigues' reefs.^[11]

Climate[link]

The isolation and location of the island give a micro climate specific to Rodrigues, with two seasons. Rodrigues enjoys a mild tropical maritime climate with persistent trade winds blowing throughout the year. Mean summer temperature is 25.9 degrees Celsius and mean winter temperature is around 22.3 degrees Celsius. The temperature difference between summer and winter is 3.6 degrees Celsius. January to March are the hottest months and August is the coolest month. The wettest month is February; September and October are the driest months. The climate is hotter and dryer than in Mauritius. Cyclones may arise from November to April, and Rodrigues is more often hit than Mauritius.^[12]

Biodiversity[link]

This section requires expansion.

Rodrigues Island was characterised by endemic plant and animal species in abundance, but from the seventeenth century much of its biodiversity has been eradicated. The island was home to a now extinct species of bird, the Rodrigues Solitaire. An endemic species of bat, the Rodrigues Flying Fox is currently threatened.

To restore the forest areas of various places has been declared Nature Reserves (under the Forest and Reserves Act 1983) that is Grande Montagne (14 ha), Anse Quitor (10 ha) and two islets, Ile aux Sables (8 ha) and Ile aux Cocos (14.4 ha) ^[13]

Environment[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Subdivisions[link]

Rodrigues has 14 municipalities or zones:

For statistical purposes, the zones are further subdivided into a total of 182 localities. The zones have between a minimum of six localities (La Ferme) and 22 (the capital Port Mathurin).^[14]

Demographics[link]

This section requires expansion.

The population estimate (as of 1 July 2011) for the island of Rodrigues was 37,922.^[2] The main religion is Roman Catholicism with a small minorities of other religions. Most of the inhabitants are of mixed African and French descent.

Language[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Education[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Health[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Economy[link]

This section requires expansion.

The economy of Rodrigues is a very small, mainly dependent on Mauritius. The main sources of income and economic activities are tourism, fishing, cultivation of vegetables (especially of onions, garlic and chili), and animal rearing. With the recent surge in tourism activity, the Rodriguans have become increasingly aware of the economic importance of their local crafts. The handicraft industry of the country also proves to be very beneficial for the economy of Rodrigues. However, the income derived from the export of sea products, cattle, and food crops, and is largely in deficit when compared to the costs of the imported products. Lately, tourism has become the focused sector.

Transportation[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Culture[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Religion[link]

This section requires expansion.

The main religion is Roman Catholicism with a small minorities of other religions like Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Most of the inhabitants are of mixed African descent and there is a minority of half-castes, descendants of the first European settlers.

Music and folklore[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Literature[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Cuisine[link]

This section requires expansion.

Rodrigues cuisine consists of dishes from local products: fruit, vegetables, seafood (fish, octopus, crab, shrimp, lobster) and meat. National dishes include sausages with kreolinės, rougaille sauce, octopus with curry, Azim salad and Rodrigues cake.

Visual arts[link]

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Sports[link]

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See also[link]

• WikiProject Mauritius

Notes and references[link]

1. ^ ^{a b} Article 49 of the constitution. 1 July 2011. Government of Mauritius. 2011. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/abtmtius/menuitem.42f3149f267522984d57241079b521ca. Retrieved 15 November 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Ministry of Finance & Economic Development (2011). Population and Vital Statistics - Republic of Mauritius, January - June 2011. 1 July 2011. Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/cso/ei919/toc.htm. Retrieved 15 November 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Geography − location". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/abtmtius/menuitem.9eb76f322dcc02984d57241079b521ca/. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "General Information about Rodrigues". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/Mainhomepage/menuitem.a42b24128104d9845dabddd154508a0c/?content_id=e7d393c5f2598010VgnVCM100000ca6a12acRCRD. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
5. ^ Mauritiusencyclopedia.com
6. ^ "Summary of results of the Rodrigues regional Assembly Election". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/eco/menuitem.37ba32a3c4783128d6c8662948a521ca/?content_id=5d21b9898f2b5310VgnVCM1000000a04a8c0RCRD. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
7. ^ "Geography − Overview". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/abtmtius/menuitem.37cd78c9e3a902984d57241079b521ca/. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
8. ^ "Meteorological Services − Monthly Bulletin of Climatological Summaries". May 2008. Mauritius Meteorological Services. p. 3. http://metservice.intnet.mu/pdfs/Climatological%20Summaries%20May%202008.pdf. Retrieved 22 March 2012. 
9. ^ "Overview of the Biodiversity of Rodrigues". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/moa/file/chap6a.pdf. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
10. ^ "Hydrology of Rodrigues and Agalega". Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/mpu/file/chapter%207.pdf. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
11. ^ "Convention on Biological Diversity - Third National Report for the Republic of Mauritius, Section 5.2.1, p. 26" (DOC). Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit in collaboration with the UNEP/GEF. October 2006. http://www.biodiv.org/doc/world/mu/mu-nr-03-en.doc. Retrieved 2007-01-19. 
12. ^ "Climate of Rodrigues & other outer islands". Mauritius Meteorological Station. http://metservice.intnet.mu/?cat=44. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
13. ^ Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. "Fourth National Report on the Convention on Biological Diversity – Republic of Mauritius". Convention on Biological Diversity. http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mu/mu-nr-04-en.pdf. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
14. ^ List of localities within each zone defined for Rodrigues. Government of Mauritius. http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncb/cso/report/hpcen00/migra/munirod.htm. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 

External links[link]

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Rodrigues

Find more about Rodrigues on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rodrigues

	Book: Rodrigues
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Government

• Mauritius Government portal
• Central Statistics Office
• Rodrigues Regional Assembly
• Official Portal of Rodrigues

Geography

• Wikimedia Atlas of Rodrigues
• Mauritius Meteorological Services
• Geographic data related to Rodrigues at OpenStreetMap

Travel

• Rodrigues travel guide from Wikitravel
• Official Rodrigues Tourism
• Rodrigues Tourist Office

• This article incorporates public domain text from the websites of the Government of Mauritius portal.

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