Rodrigues

Geography

Rodrigues is located between longitudes 63˚ 20' E and 63˚ 30' E and the latitudes 19˚ 40' S and 19˚ 46' S. Of the three principal islands of the archipelago of Mascareignes it most septentrional and is insulated.

By its terrestrial extent, the size of the island, to give comparative data, is intermediate between those of Belle-Île-en-Mer and Jersey.

Although of modest rise (more the high summit, the Mount Silt, culminates with 398 meters), the island presents a general topography of mountainous type. The relief is organized around a central edge of south-western western direction, from where ravines precipice radiate. The funds of the valleys remain generally dry and are traversed by torrential floods only at the time of the strong rains of cyclonic mode.

The south-western part of the island is however dominated over approximately 10 km ² by a formed ic sandstone plain Karst of coral origin. The basement shelters there many caves, of which famous Caverne Potato and not less interesting Caverne Tamarin and Grande Cave.

The immense lagoon is in general not very deep. It is strewn with several small islands which into emergent, in particular islands with the Cat of Pierrot, Hermitage, Cocos, Crabes, Gombrani and others.

Geology

Like the other islands of Mascareignes, Rodrigues is of origin volcanic. The basaltic outcrops are numerous; stackings of cast or the formations of organ are visible in many places. The island would be, at least for its emerged part, most recent of the three islands with 1,8 million years of existence, but there remains still much of unknown elements on the comprehension of its formation.

The existence of a large lagoon is old, can be even former to the emergence of the island to the top of the level of the ocean. The calcareous Sable coming from the marine erosion of the coral reef is at the origin of very original rock formations for a volcanic small island: the Calcarénite S which constitute the south-western part of Rodrigues and fringe that and there the east coast. At the time of episodes of general level of the ocean drops, the wind pushed and accumulated the sand of the lagoon inside the grounds and created dune solid masses . The infiltration of rainwater in particular charged with the acids of the vegetable litter caused the dissolutions partial of limestone followed by recrystallizations which cemented the interior of the dunes in the form of sandstone with coarse grains: the Arénite S. With the increase of the sea level, the wind released these benches of arénites limestones (or calcarénites). To tend and easily soluble, this geological material dug important internal cavities, true caves characteristic of the plates limestones. As for the edges exposed to the waves, they also underwent hard attacks which worked a tormented rock coast, indented many splits.

It is in these benches of calcarénites, that artisanal careers (improperly locally called “careers of coral” and currently abandoned) allowed the extraction of blocks intended for the construction of dwellings. It is as on the karstic extent of Plain Coral as the airport of Rodrigues was established, because of the naturally flat relief.

Fauna and flora

detailed Article: Endémisme in Rodrigues

The island sheltered a species of bird disappeared today, the Solitaire of Rodrigues. An endemic species of bat (Dogfish of Rodrigue) is very threatened currently.

History

The island was known Portuguese as of 1528, when some Don Diego Rodriguez placed it for the first time on a chart. The Dutch made stopover at the time of their voyages there towards their colonies in Indonesia. The latter would have been supplied with drinking water like in giant tortoises.

These adventurers were only of passage and it was only in the year 1691 that François Leguat and some companions was established there during two years before regaining Mauritius.

The century following the installation of the first occupants was marked by the colonization of Mauritius (island of France) and the island of the Réunion (Bourbon island) by the French Compagnie of the Eastern Indies. The Rodrigues island was managed from the island of France. A handle of French colonists, Indians as well as African and Malagasy slaves settled there.

In 1809, at the time of the Napoleonean wars, the British fleet unloaded there its soldiers for the catch of attack of Mauritius. The conquest of the latter by the British involved Rodrigues under their administration.

10th district since the independence of Maurice in 1968, Rodrigues did not experience the same development as the principal island. In 2002, Rodriguais voted in order to elect their representatives at the Regional assembly of Rodrigues, and the island reached a certain autonomy while belonging to the Republic.

The year 2002 will remain memorable for the inhabitants because she saw the creation of the apostolic Vicariat of Rodrigues, with like first bishop monseigneur Alain Harel ordered on December 8th, 2002. Previously, the single landing strip of the Aéroport of Plain Coral was lengthened to accommodate a plane of greater capacity which can serve the islands Maurice and Réunion. This development made it possible tourism industry to take its rise. Always in 2002, the Mauritius Trochetia dropped anchor for the first time at the roads of Port Mathurin. This ship compensated the other ship supplying Rodrigues, the Mauritius Pride.

The autonomy of the island

detailed Article: Autonomy of the island Rodrigues

The population rodriguaise always asserted its specificity within the Republic. Three decades after the independence of Maurice, the central government amended the constitution to grant a maximum of autonomy to the Rodrigues island. A former judge of the Supreme court of Maurice, Robert Ahnee C.S.K, undertook to consult the various parties concerned, of which chiefs of the two political main organizations of the island.

The autonomy of Rodrigues is copied on the model in force with Trinity-and-Tobago. The Rodrigues Regional Assembly Bill was adopted unanimously with the National Assembly on November 21st, 2001. The first poll in order to elect the deputies took place the September 29th 2002. The innovation came owing to the fact that for the first time, an amount of proportionality was introduced into the electoral system. The Regional assembly is made up of 18 members. The majority parties form the government with a Chef Police chief acting as head of government. In addition to the Police chief Chief and on his recommendation, 6 other police chiefs are named by the president of the Republic. The opposition, as for it, is directed by the chief of the minority. Finally, the Regional assembly is chaired by the President of the Parliament. The holder can be an elected official or a person of the civil society. The first Police chief Chief was Jean Daniel Spéville. He yielded his armchair to Serge Clair, the chief of the party elected with the favor of a by-election, in February 2003. Johnson Roussety was the chief of the Minority of November 2002 in July 2006. It is named Chef Police chief the August 4th 2006. The former magistrate Joseph Lamvohee is the president of the Regional assembly.

New elections will be held in the island in December 2006 following a major political crisis within the Regional assembly which will have involves her dissolution.

Interesting places

Port Mathurin
Handle with the English
Bay with the Oysters
the park Tortoise

External bonds

Association Vivr' Rodrigues
Chart of the island

Like the other islands of the Mascareignes, Rodrigues is the subject of a Wikiprojet: the project Mascareignes .

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